The Lost Weekend
by Amber477
Summary: *COMPLETED* Set in current season 2- Blair and Chuck spend a rainy weekend together in a hotel room, trying to decide where the battle lines are drawn now and what it means to be somewhere in between. Ship- Blair/Chuck- please read and review!
1. The Lost Weekend

Hey there upper East siders, Gossip Girl here with a good little mystery on her hands

A/N- Based on the preview for season two's fifth episode where Serena tells off Blair and spoilers that say Blair attempts to sabotage her mothers fashion show…here's just my ideas for what I hope is to come for Blair and Chuck. Lyrics are from "What Do You Need" by the Goo Goo Dolls.

**The Lost Weekend**

--

_Fear makes you fragile, darling_

_Hate is so heavy when you're weak_

_Now we're both lost in anger_

_When we're alone we'll find some peace_

_Why do we need to turn it on?_

_Why does it always seem so wrong?_

_What do you need from me tonight?_

_The truth is so complicated now_

_You feel so free to say you're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong_

--

FRIDAY

--

**Hey there Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here with a good little mystery on her hands. Namely where in the world is Blair Waldorf? After her little temper tantrum at her mother's fashion show and a thorough dressing down by S, the former Queen B has fallen way off my radar. Where could she be? Is she coming back to reclaim to her throne? It just doesn't seem like B to go down without a fight. I guess we'll know for sure on Monday- have a good weekend, faithful readers! And send me pics of the Amazing Disappearing Girl if you've got them…**

--

Chuck clicked his phone shut, looking over at Serena doing her make-up in the family room mirror.

"What's Gossip Girl saying now?" Serena asked, pressing her newly glossed lips together.

"Nothing terribly interesting. Just that Blair may be on a different continent by now for all any of us know."

"She only missed one day of school- maybe she just took a spa day or something. I'm sure she's fine."

"Oh, suddenly you care?" Chuck sat down on the couch, pouring himself a drink.

Serena turned to look at him. "I tried calling her fifty times. She's not answering. She's your little pet obsession- you figure out where she is!"

"I plan on it. Where are you off to tonight, sis?"

"Just dancing with the girls. Please don't crash."

Just then, their butler entered holding a letter on a silver tray.

"Mr. Bass? A message for you."

Chuck raised his eyebrow, taking it and reading with narrowed eyes. Serena stepped over to look, but he slipped it into his pocket right as she reached his shoulder.

"No crashing tonight, princess. Looks like I just got an invite to a much better party."

"Is that from Blair?" Serena crossed her arms.

"Don't you have to meet your friends?" Chuck got up as well, picking up his jacket and slipping it on.

"Can you just tell her--"

"I'm not your little go-between."

"So it is from Blair."

"Goodnight, Serena."

Serena watched him go, twisting her hands together. She could still hear her own words ringing in her head—

"_I'm just tired of trying to hold myself back so I don't outshine you!"_

She hadn't meant to say it. She hated herself for even thinking it. But this was Blair's solution? Disappear? If that's what she wanted, Serena wasn't going to stop her. She picked up her quilted Chanel bag and slung it over one shoulder before stepping into the elevator and into the rainy New York night.

--

Chuck stepped into the waiting car.

"The Hudson Hotel." He told the driver, holding the letter in what he realized with shame was a slightly clammy grip.

_Meet me._

That's all the letter had said, in Blair's familiar, overly ornate handwriting. Inside, she had stuck a room key to Room 443 at the Hudson.

What am I? Just her little dog that answers when she commands? Chuck thought, a bit disgusted with what this strange Blair infection was turning him into.

But he couldn't not go. He had been worried when she hadn't shown up for school earlier this morning, especially after leaving Fashion Week in near-hysterics. He should have gone after her. But he figured she would have just blown him off. Which made this random summons all the more interesting…

They had been alone together very few times since coming back from summer break, and those times had ended in Blair either in tears or about to rip his clothes off. So this could really go one of two ways.

Chuck stared out at the raindrops sliding down the window. He realized ashamedly that he didn't really care what she wanted.

He just wanted to be with her.

--

He stepped off the elevator, pointlessly trying to brush rain drops off his wool coat as he made his way down the hallway on the fourth floor. Chuck felt a nervous swoop in his stomach as he reached the room. Figuring it would be rude (even for him) just to enter without announcing himself, he knocked.

After a moment, Blair answered the door. Chuck swallowed hard. She was wearing a pink silk camisole and shorts with little white lace flowers on the edges. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, no make-up on her face. She looked up at him, her expression hard to read. Amused? Relieved?

"You came." She smiled.

"I'm thinking I will soon." Chuck replied.

To his surprise, she laughed, pulling the door open wider. "You could've just let yourself in. That's why I sent a key."

He followed her inside the lavish suite, closing the door behind him.

"So, what's with the get-up, Waldorf?" He asked to Blair's mostly exposed back as she stood looking out the window at the storm.

She turned around, a wry smile twisting her pretty mouth. "Well, I actually don't plan on getting out of bed much this weekend."

Chuck held up an empty bottle of champagne from the ice bucket. "So then why do you need me?"

Blair crossed to him, her hands sliding up his chest. Chuck felt his heart hammer against her right hand. "Oh, I don't know, Chuck. You, me, and a bed- always seems to end well for both of us."

"In some respects." He said quietly, her eyes staring right into his.

"Do you want to stay or not?" She asked a little impatiently.

"You're just lonely because your little lord defected back to England."

"I'm staying in this hotel room all weekend, Bass. My mom hates me. My friends hate me. I'm going underground again- and I'd much rather have you keep me company than Dorota. In fact, I've spent most of today thinking of interesting activities to keep us occupied. But if you don't want to…" Her arms were now around his neck.

"You really thought it would be that easy? Throw some Agent Provacateur in my face and everything's fixed between us?" Chuck weakly protested.

"What am I, one of your whores? This is La Perla."

"My mistake."

Blair kissed his neck, feeling Chuck's hands tighten against the silk and bare skin of her waist. "Chuck, are you really saying it's not going to be that easy?"

"No." He caught her hands, taking them in his.

She pulled back, surprised. "No? You want me to stop?"

He looked at her, an achingly familiar look of longing etched on her perfect face. What was he doing? This was Blair. This didn't have to be complicated. Not yet, anyway.

"I meant-- no, of course it's going to be that easy."

Chuck kissed her, soft, unsure as he often felt around her, but Blair just wrapped her arms more tightly around him, moaning into his mouth. Chuck responded after a moment, lifting her off the ground, her legs wrapping around his waist as they stumbled back against the wall. Eventually they ended up in bed, no pretense, no games, no scheming, just skin against skin, Blair's frenzied breath hot against his ear, two bodies waking up again to a once-perfect dance.

He felt a surge of triumph when her head fell against his shoulder at the end, her hair around his face in brown rose-scented waves, her thin arms trembling as she tried to hold herself up. He had done it. He hadn't been broken before with all those nameless girls, just waiting.

"C-Chuck—that was…best ever." Blair gasped, rolling over onto her back beside him.

"So glad I could help." Chuck said, looking up at a dark blue ceiling with gold paneling that seemed to be covered in a dreamlike haze. He felt a happy kind of drunk as he just focused on the sensation of Blair's lips sliding up his flushed chest. He was suddenly very tired and warm and the rain seemed so far away... She curled up beside him after a moment, one arm splayed across his chest.

"What's it like for you when we're together?" Blair whispered sleepily, resting her chin on his collarbone.

"Come on, Waldorf. I definitely wasn't faking that." Chuck laughed.

"But-- I mean- is being with me like being with all of those other girls?"

"No. No, it's different."

Blair didn't press any further, and they lay there in silence until Chuck heard the slow steady sound of her breathing. She was asleep, too much champagne and sex doing the job of a prescription narcotic.

"Because I didn't love those girls." Chuck said, running a hand over her bare shoulder as he pulled the sheets over her sleeping frame.

--

SATURDAY

--

Serena came downstairs around noon after a morning catching up on her sleep, and saw Eric playing video games by himself and Lily reading the newspaper.

"Morning." She stretched.

"More like afternoon, sweetie. Do you happen to know where your brother is?" Lily asked, looking over the top of her reading glasses.

"He's right there on the couch, mom." Serena giggled, grabbing a bagel.

"She means Chuck." Eric chimed in, giving his Wii tennis opponent a sound beating.

"He didn't come home?" Serena sat down at the kitchen table.

"No. Bart and I were thinking the whole family could go to a movie at the old Palace theatre this afternoon- but we can't find Charles anywhere. He's not answering his phone, Nate said he hasn't seen him since school on Friday-"

"Even Gossip Girl's got nothing." Eric pointed out, giving the virtual tennis ball another good _thwack_.

"Well, this whole disappearing thing seems to be a bit of an epidemic lately." Serena said, sliding the butter over to her side of the table.

"What do you mean?" Lily looked alarmed.

"Nobody's seen Blair either. Not since Eleanor's show."

"Well, how many places could they be? Bart checked Chuck's credit account- he hasn't touched a dime. They couldn't have gone far."

"You think they're together?" Eric looked over, more interested.

"He did get a message last night that I thought was from Blair. He left right after." Serena offered.

"Are they still dating? They went to Tuscany this past summer, right?" Lily asked.

"Oh, mom. You have been gone awhile." Serena patted her on the shoulder as Eric laughed.

"And- game!" Eric pumped his fists in the air.

Serena and Lily looked over, unimpressed.

"Chuck would understand." Eric said poutily, sitting down on the couch defeated, "He better come back soon."

--

"And room service has arrived." Blair smiled, wheeling a full tray towards the bed as Chuck came out of the bathroom in a white fluffy robe.

"Finally. I'm starved." Chuck elegantly lay down beside her.

"Gee, I wonder why." Blair messed up his still wet hair with a grin.

Looking slightly put-out, Chuck smoothed it back down again. "Watch the hands, Waldorf."

She rolled her eyes, propping up the pillows behind them. Chuck opened the tray to reveal strawberries, croissants, cheese, orange juice, bacon, sausage and pretty much every other breakfast food in the world. Blair picked up a strip of bacon, flipping on the TV.

"You want to order a movie or something?" She asked, taking a bite.

"Sure." He said, watching her with a bewildered expression on his face.

"What?" She laughed, setting it back down.

"I just have never seen you eat bacon in your life. What would Mommie Dearest say?"

"Like I care. Are you worried about me getting fat too?"

"Don't do that, Blair. You're gorgeous. Perfect." He slid a hand over her exposed leg from under her midnight blue silk robe.

"You really mean that?"

"Of course."

Blair leaned over, kissing him. "Thank you."

"Well, you didn't think I spent weekends in hotel rooms with girls who are just average, did you?"

"No, of course I wouldn't deign to think such a thing. What do you want to watch?" Blair said, flipping through Pay-Per-View.

"I don't care. You choose."

"Well, what kind of movie do you like?"

"Mysteries."

"Of course. See if you can out-plot the plotter?" Blair nodded in understanding.

"You know me well."

"I do the same thing. Most of these so called "villains" are such amateurs."

"Agreed."

They finally found a good mystery, and ate until the tray was practically empty. Full and in bed, they both fell asleep again for a few hours. When they woke up, it was raining again outside.

"I think you picked a good weekend to lie low." Chuck said, smoothing down his slightly disarrayed bed head as Blair blinked in the dim light.

"I told you this would be fun."

"Really only one thing to do in this kind of weather."

"What's that?"

"Entertain ourselves." Chuck pinned her arms over her head, kissing her hard.

"I could make peace with that." She said breathlessly, losing herself in him again.

--

SUNDAY

--

"When are you going to check out?" Chuck asked, pulling on his jacket.

"Tomorrow morning. Are you sure you want to leave?" Blair asked, looking up from where she was painting her nails on the floor.

"I think I've got to. School tomorrow. Need my rest. And I'm pretty sure I won't get it here."

"I'm pretty sure you're right." Blair grinned wickedly, blowing on one hand.

"So…I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll be there."

Chuck paused for a moment at the door. "Blair…do we need to talk about this?"

"Talk about what?"

"What happened, what we're going to do now--"

"Oh, don't go all Dan Humphrey on me. You don't have to make me your girlfriend or anything. I'm not expecting that. I just needed…well, I needed you. And now I feel a million times better. So thank you." Blair got up, slipping his room key out of his pocket, "I'll turn these in tomorrow."

"So we're not anything?" Chuck said, not sure how he felt.

"I told you what that would take at the White Party. And you're not ready to go there. I get it. We're—we're Chuck and Blair. That's all the label either of us need right now."

Chuck watched her hand go to the door handle, and suddenly he stopped her, holding her wrist.

"Wait, Blair. This weekend--well, before this—way before this, actually…"

"Get to the point, Bass."

He took a deep breath. "If I was ever going to say it to anyone, it would be you."

"I know," She said a little sadly, touching his face, "See you at school, Chuck."

He kissed her, a long, slow kiss that made her knees literally buckle beneath her until she was left clinging to his shoulders when he broke the embrace. Then, their foreheads pressed together, his voice low and dripping with desire, "Bye, Blair."

She felt those dangerous words forming in her mouth and almost said them, but bit back at the last moment. She did love him—a crazy, hungry kind of love she didn't know how to categorize or deal with. But she couldn't be the first to say it. Someday he'd get there. Someday they'd have more than this last glance in a hotel room hallway.

Someday.

--

**Spotted: Chuck Bass leaving the Hudson Hotel in Friday's clothes, headed for home. Who's his mystery lady now? This couldn't have anything to do with the great Blairdini's disappearing act, could it? I've always had a soft spot for these two…let's hope they can work it out. Rest up, eager readers- Monday's always come around eventually and even perfect weekends have to end. You know you love me. XOXO- Gossip Girl.**

**--**

I love feedback!


	2. Hostile Takeover

A/N- Thanks for all the awesome feedback

A/N- Thanks for all the awesome feedback! You guys are the best- and the reason I'm writing more! So if you want more chapters, let me know- I'm sure Gossip Girl and I can think of something…

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Two**

**--**

**Hey there, gossip-aholics. Your faithful blogger just received the most interesting pic- thanks ManhattaniteO8! Spotted: Blair Waldorf, back in school but catching lunch alone. The former Queen B skipped off campus to get herself a fruit smoothie in lieu of facing down S on the Met steps. What is this? A cowardly retreat? Or just rising above? No one's seen B and S cross paths since the throwdown- are these BFFs over for good? Something tells me no- they've got to meet up eventually. S sure has her hands full avoiding B and LonelyBoy- how much territory can one girl claim before revolt?**

**And speaking of B, I checked the Yale visit sign-up sheet this morning, only to find that Chuck Bass is the only other name on the list. Exes B and C battling it out for the coveted Ivy League spot? This could be a bloodbath…**

**--**

Blair walked to her locker, still hungry after her hasty smoothie lunch. Oh well. Sacrifices must be made. She was going to get behind in class after her weekend of getting nothing done (except Chuck, she thought with a grin), and she couldn't afford any GPA downslide this late in the game.

Lunch hour in the library. Even Nelly Yuki would think I'm trying too hard right now, she thought ruefully.

As she grabbed her AP History book, she sensed someone behind her. A hand sliding around her waist moments later confirmed her suspicion.

"Chuck-- what are you doing here?"

He pulled her against him, murmuring in her ear, "I haven't seen you all day."

"And that makes it okay to feel me up in the hallway?" Blair tried to sound exasperated but didn't stop him.

"What's wrong? Worried Gossip Girl will find out?" Chuck grinned, kissing her neck.

Blair sniffed in disdain. "She should be so lucky. That girl's dying for material. If I have to read one more story about LonelyBoy, I'll kill myself."

"I know," Chuck's other hand went to the hem of short school skirt, "So let's give her something a little more scandalous than Brooklyn's blues…"

Blair smacked his hand away, turning to face him. "Sorry, Bass. I'm pretty sure the Yale admissions board would frown on expulsion for having sex in the school hallway."

"Fine. Later," He fingered the collar of her dark-blue jacket, "I don't think Chanel should be on the floor of a janitor's closet anyway. So you're still planning on Yale then?'

She narrowed her eyes, closing her locker. "Only since birth."

"The New Haven trip is next week." Chuck smiled.

"I know. I already signed up." Blair said slowly, looking suspicious.

"What a coincidence. Me too." Chuck put his hand on the locker behind her.

"_You're_ going?" Blair sputtered, turning to face him.

"It's rude to look so shocked. I was the Yale usher. Besides, the Connecticut air might do me some good."

"Great," Blair put her hand on his cheek, then grabbed his collar, pulling his face close to hers, "But if you take my Yale spot, _I will eviscerate you_."

Chuck's mouth slid into a half-smile. "Battle of the sexes. Sounds fun," He leaned closer, "Come over today."

Blair sighed. "And run into Serena? No, thanks."

"She never comes home before dinner. Come on, Blair. Satisfaction guaranteed."

"Oh, well, since you begged…" Blair turned her head, their lips almost touching.

"Do you want me on my knees?" Chuck murmured.

Just as their lips touched, they heard footsteps approaching and snapped apart. Chuck put his hands in his pockets and Blair busied herself with her purse. It was Nate, striding up with a genial smile on his face. "Chuck? Finally, man. I've been looking for you everywhere- why are you in the girl's hallway?"

Chuck turned to face him, forcing a smile in return. "Blair and I were just catching up on the presidential debate. What can I do for you?"

Nate looked at Blair a little nervously. "Can I talk to Chuck alone?"

"This _is _the girl's hallway." Blair pointed out, "But whatever. I'm going to the library anyway."

Chuck and Nate stood there as she walked away; Nate was looking desperately at Chuck, while a slightly dazed Chuck was staring at how much of Blair's tanned legs showed when she wore that skirt.

Suddenly Chuck put a hand on Nate's shoulder, "Just one moment," He caught up to Blair and said under his breath, "So, see you later?"

"I'll think about it." She said, hiding a smile as she walked away.

Chuck turned back to Nate, feeling almost- what was it? Giddy? No, surely not. "So what's worth chasing me down for in the middle of the day, Nathaniel?"

"I promise this is last time I'll ever bring this up—but my source of income kind of…got cut off."

Chuck fell into step with Nate. "What am I, your banker?"

"I know, man. I'm so sorry. I just have no one else to talk to about this."

Chuck rolled his eyes. "We don't actually _talk_ about anything. You just ask me for money, turn it down, accept it, turn it down-- frankly, I'm a little exhausted."

"Chuck- you know I hate doing this! It's just—my mom doesn't know that I'm not still getting the money from you, and it'll break her heart if I tell her, and I just can't-" Nate's voice suddenly caught in his throat.

Chuck turned to look at him incredulously. "Don't cry about it."

"I'm just- I'm out of options here!"

Chuck sighed. "Nate. Relax. I will think of something, okay?"

Nate stared at his feet, swallowing hard.

"Look at me. Don't I always look out for you?" Chuck said quietly.

Nate finally nodded.

"What are you guys doing here?"

They both looked over to see Serena, posse in tow, walking down the girls' hallway towards them.

Chuck smiled. "Just looking for you, sis. What are your plans today after school?"

"Why do you care?" Serena looked at him, puzzled as she started going through her locker.

"Can I not enquire after my own sister's well-being?" Chuck shrugged.

"Umm, well, I guess we're….gelato and Bendels, girls?" Serena's minions nodded along happily.

"Brilliant." Chuck patted her arm, "I'll see you for dinner then."

"Grreat," Serena watched him and Nate leave.

"I still cannot believe Chuck Bass is your stepbrother." Nelly Yuki shuddered.

"I don't know. I think he's kinda hot." The new blond girl grinned.

"You live with him then." Serena sighed, closing her locker.

--

Blair stood waiting for the elevator to the Bass-Van der Woodsen suite. She looked down at her phone when it buzzed with a new message.

_Where are you?_

Blair snapped it shut. She should just let him wait. And wait. And wait. Just like he had done to her. But last weekend had changed things. Whatever they were, she was sick of pretending to hate him.

"Blair?"

Blair spun around in horror to see Serena making her way towards the elevator, loaded down with shopping bags.

"Serena." Blair said coolly.

"What are you doing here?"

Blair stood there for a moment, her mind drawing a complete blank at a viable excuse.

"I wanted to see you actually." She finally said.

"What? Why?" They both got on the elevator.

"You still haven't given me back those green D&G heels. And I need them for tomorrow." Blair crossed her arms, lying wildly.

"Blair, I borrowed those like five months ago." Serena said, obviously not buying it.

"All the more reason to give them back, then." They reached the foyer, the doors opening with a _bing_.

"Whatever. I'll get them." Serena slung her bags up higher on her shoulders, dropping her cell phone in the process.

Blair didn't get it for her, walking out of the elevator without a glance back. Serena rolled her eyes, setting down everything to pick it up as the doors closed on her purse strap.

Chuck stood up from his lounging on the couch when he saw Blair.

"Well, well. Think of the devil and she doth appear." He crossed to her, but she stopped him at arm's length.

"Not now. Guess who I ran into."

Chuck looked behind her, seeing Serena finally reopening the doors and stepping out, looking bedraggled.

"Oh, don't bother helping me, Chuck." Serena said huffily throwing everything down onto the couch.

"This is why we hire help, Serena."

Serena gave him her best withering glare. "I'll go get your shoes. B."

"If you stretched them out, you're replacing them." Blair smiled sweetly, her face instantly reverting to its natural scowl as Serena walked upstairs. She turned to Chuck. "I thought Serena didn't come home until dinner?"

"She usually doesn't. Should we go to your place?"

"If we can be gone before she gets back." Blair shrugged.

Chuck put his hand on her back, leading her to the elevator and jamming the button so hard it nearly broke. But when the doors opened, they nearly walked straight into Lily and Eric.

"Charles! Blair! What a nice surprise!" Lily clapped her hands together.

"Definitely a surprise." Eric said, looking between them.

"There are way too many people in this place." Chuck sighed, rubbing his temple.

"Are you leaving, Blair?" Lily asked, looking disappointed.

"I was."

"We both were." Chuck said quickly.

"Oh, you should stay for dinner! It's Taiwanese night- Bart's been raving about this cook for ages!" Lily put a hand on each of their shoulders, stopping them from entering the elevator.

Blair and Chuck looked at each other.

"We really need to get some homework done, Mrs. Bass." Blair said.

"It's really hard, but once it's over, we'll both feel so much better." Chuck said, raising an eyebrow at Eric.

Eric's eyes widened, catching his meaning. "Mom, if they have school work…"

Lily waved him off. "They'll just do it right here!" Eric smothered a laugh but Lily didn't notice, surging on, "And by then it'll be time for dinner! Oh, I'm so excited- Blair, you've always been just like part of the family."

"Blair's staying?" Serena came back down the stairs, holding the shoes and looking slightly terrified.

Blair turned to her, eyes glinting. "Of course I am, S. Your dear mother just invited me. Won't that be fun?"

**Well, well. Never thought the Van der Woodsen-Bass household would have more guests than it can handle. Looks like B just found out that the easiest way to hostile take over of Camp S is sleeping with the enemy. And could Chuck be missing the good old days of having a nonexistent family life? Taiwanese, anyone? I'm famished! Until next time, XOXO Gossip Girl**


	3. More Than I Thought

A/N- Thank you guys again for the amazing feedback

A/N- Thank you guys again for the amazing feedback. Reviews make me happy and keep me writing- so thank you so much! Hope you all enjoy!

The Lost Weekend

--  
Chapter Three

**Who knew Monday nights could be so deliciously scandalous? Looks like the gang's all gathered at Bass-Van der Woodsen abode and dinner's about to be served. So what will it be for S? Just desserts? I sure hope this isn't the B and S Last Supper- they've been bffs longer than Viktor and Rolf.**

**And could B and C have finally put their past behind them? Hey, C—here's a thought. Walking B to the car and kissing her good-bye tends to give the wrong idea if you're supposed to be broken up and deeply in loathing with each other…but we'll get to that. Let's eat!**

"So Blair, are you enjoying senior year so far?" Lily asked.

"I am. This hsinchu is incredible, Mr. Bass." Blair smiled sweetly.

"You're a big fan of balls?" Chuck grinned, getting an annoyed look from his father and a "you-can-do-better-than-that" look from both Eric and Serena.

"Thank you, Blair. It's nice to have someone who appreciates fine dining in this house." Mr. Bass said pointedly.

"I love Taiwanese food. My dad always used to take me to get bubble tea on Fridays after school when I was little. I even speak a little of the language." Blair primly patted her mouth with her napkin.

"Woman of many talents." Lily smiled.

Chuck held back a remark this time.

"Mom, I'm thinking of getting a modeling agent." Serena said, apparently not enjoying the food as much as Blair.

"That's nice, dear."

"Fashion Week really put your name out there, huh, S?" Blair turned to her.

"It really did, B."

The two girls stared each other down until Eric cleared his throat. "I'm still gay. We can talk about that."

Everyone laughed a littler nervously, going back to their food.

"Charles was telling me the Yale trip is next week." Bart said.

"That's right. Your son just informed me today he was joining me." Blair said, trying not to react to Chuck's hand sliding up her bare leg under the table.

"That should be fun! Serena, darling, have you signed up?" Lily turned to her.

"For the New Haven trip?" Serena's froze, fork halfway to her mouth.

"Well, why not? You've got to start planning for the future sometime."

"I don't know if Yale would be a very good fit for Serena." Blair said, suppressing a pleasant shudder as Chuck's hand went to her inner thigh.

"Why not, B?" Serena looked at her, daring her to say what everyone was thinking.

"You want to go to Yale?" Eric looked at his sister, confused.

"I just want Blair to tell me why that's not even an option." Serena crossed her arms.

"Oh, by all means, give it a try, S. I just know you're not very good at handling rejection."

"And you are?"

Blair set down her silverware. "I'm getting seconds. Chuck? You still look hungry, come with me."

Chuck smiled, "I'm starved."

The moment they were out of sight, Blair pulled him into a coat closet, practically attacking him with a kiss. After a long, heated moment, they both broke away, breathing hard.

"That's all I've wanted to do all day." Blair smiled, her arms still around his neck.

"Me too." Chuck kissed her again, starting to unbutton her shirt. After she backed him into the wall and he took off her shirt, his hands went to her bra clasp. Blair pulled away, sighing. "Chuck, we don't have time."

He leaned his head back against the wall, taking a deep breath. "Are you serious?"

"Getting seconds doesn't take this long. They'll know something's going on."

"This doesn't have to take long either, you know." He smiled suggestively.

She looked torn for a moment, but the Waldorf table manners apparently beat out hormones. "We have to go back."

"How fickle is woman," Chuck sighed, picking her shirt up off the floor and handing it to her.

"Don't be so dramatic. Oh, and cut it out with all that under-the-table stuff. Or I'll do it right back."

"That's supposed to stop me?"

"You really want your little brother and dad to watch you-"

"Okay, okay. I'll never do that again."

"Oh, don't say never. Just not here." Blair grinned, kissing him chastely as she straightened his collar.

"We should actually get seconds, I guess." Chuck smoothed down her slightly mussed hair, looking her over discerningly.

"Good idea. Oh, and the balls joke? Not up to your usual standards."

"You have a debilitating effect on me, Waldorf."

They smiled at each other one last time, leaving the coat closet and walking by the butler with as much dignity as they could manage.

--

Blair and Chuck sat back down during a Serena story about her new socialite friend Poppy-whatever.

"—and I told her she should just get the bracelet for herself. Isn't that hilarious?" Serena said, almost looking as if she knew the entire table was bored to tears.

"What'd we miss?" Chuck asked Eric.

"Not much." He said under his breath.

Chuck and Blair both stifled a laugh.

"Chuck, would you care to explain the large withdrawal you made today from your college fund?" Bart suddenly said, killing the good mood of the room.

"What?" Chuck looked up, confused or pretending to be.

"My financial planner informed that you had taken a sizeable chunk out of your college fund. What's going on? Opening a new strip club?"

"Victrola wasn't a strip club, it was a burlesque." Blair said without thinking.

"He's just making a point, Blair. Ignore him." Chuck muttered.

"How about you don't talk about me like I'm not here?" Mr. Bass said.

The Van der Woodsens exchanged nervous glances.

"I was putting some money into investments, father. Nothing untoward, I promise."

Lily clapped her hands together. "Now, Bart, this is hardly dinner table talk!

Bart sighed, looking at his wife. "You're right. I'm sorry. Just don't think you can do things behind my back, Chuck."

"I would never think that." Chuck assured him.

Blair looked at him. She hated what Chuck let his dad do to him. He turned into a child, desperate for approval, hungry for even the smallest crumb of affection- she could barely even watch.

Even though she let her mother do the exact same thing to her.

Not knowing exactly why, Blair reached under the table and took his hand. Chuck looked at her fleetingly, his dark eyes shining with something she had never seen in them before.

Gratitude.

--

Blair got her coat from the closet where she and Chuck had been only an hour earlier, smiling to herself. This had hardly been a fun-filled family dinner, but she still felt weirdly happy.

"Blair?"

Until now. She turned around to see Serena, sadly holding the D&G heels.

"What, S? More Poppy stories for me? Save it for someone who cares."

"I miss you." Serena said, her voice breaking.

"But isn't this what you wanted? To finally be free of me?" Blair walked towards her, voice dripping with sarcasm, "To have your pathetic, jealous best friend out of the picture so you could really spread your sparkly little wings and fly?"

"I didn't mean what I said--"

"Of course you did. If you're going to be a bitch, at least own it. You meant every word. And now you think you're sorry because you're so used to having me around that it feels wrong without me. But you can forget it. I don't need you, Serena. And you've always needed me."

Serena opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. Blair tried not to care that Serena was clearly about to cry.

"This is really how you want things?" Serena said, swallowing hard.

"I didn't do this, S. You did. Have fun in your new life." Blair took the shoes out of Serena's hands, pushing the button for the elevator.

Serena walked away without another word. As the elevator doors opened and Blair stepped inside, Chuck materialized out of seemingly nowhere and held the doors open.

"May I join you?" He asked.

Blair smiled. "Be my guest."

"So Serena looked like a mess."

"Good."

Chuck watched her carefully for a moment. "You miss her too, Blair."

"Serena is just going to have to accept that she is not necessary to my survival."

"Am I?" Chuck suddenly asked.

She looked at him to see if he was kidding. He looked completely serious.

"More than I thought, Bass."

The elevator doors opened on the ground floor, and they walked out of the hotel together. Blair went to hail a taxi, but Chuck caught her arm.

"Take the car."

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not."

Blair smiled, walking up to the sleek Bass chauffeured car. "So what was that money from your college fund really for?"

Chuck debated lying for a moment, but decided against it. "Nate's in a lot of financial trouble. He needed a loan."

Blair looked at him, her expression hard to read. "That was a really decent thing to do, Chuck."

"He's my best friend. Always has been, always will be."

"I believe you." Blair said, a little sadly.

"Sorry our afternoon got so rudely interrupted." Chuck said, not letting go of her arm. He didn't want her to go.

"I actually had a good time."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Bye, Chuck."

He impulsively kissed her good-bye. "Bye, Blair."

She turned around looking a little flustered, unable to work the door handle for some reason. Chuck did it for her, smiling.

She climbed into the car, watching him through the window as she was driven away from the home of her former best friend and the person she was coming dangerously close to falling for completely.

But she remembered this feeling. This was the feeling she got with Chuck right before things started to fall spectacularly apart.

Maybe this time would be different.

Or maybe she was just once again playing the fool, believing people could change.

--

**Spotted: Blair Waldorf, getting the kiss-and-dismiss from C but with an interesting twist. Taking the family car? Not the usual order of business for C's revolving door of women. Could our favorite bad boy be changing? He sure looked love struck standing outside The Palace alone. Who knows, B- you might get those three magical words out of him after all. **

**But even if C won't say it, I will. I love ya, B. And you know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl **

Review if you want more! Thanks for reading!


	4. Clash of the Titans

A/N- You guys just make my day with these reviews

A/N- You guys just make my day with these reviews! Keep them coming and I'll keep writing! I hope you like this chapter- it was a fun one to write!

The Lost Weekend

--

Chapter Four

--

**Well, here we are at the end of a very eventful week. Friendships were destroyed, ex-loves were (maybe) re-kindled, and do I detect a chill in the air? Fall is upon us, faithful readers, and I'm ready to bundle up, sip some hot cocoa, and watch the sparks fly. Rumor has it that the old guard- B, N, S, and C- are all headed to Penelope's birthday party tonight- will our fabulous foursome finally make a united front to rule the school as seniors? Call me nostalgic, but I'm hoping so…**

**And what's this I hear about a new freshman making eyes at Chuck? Careful, new girl. B's never really been the sharing type…**

--

Blair walked across the courtyard for lunch, headed to the library again. Ever since she had been banished from Serena's group, she was becoming quite the model student. She saw Chuck and Nate sitting together; Nate laughing at some story Chuck was telling. Just like always. Blair had such a clear picture of the two of them, sitting just like that, as kids. She felt a sudden surge of affection for them both.

"Blair?"

Blair snapped out of her reverie and turned in surprise to see the blond freshman girl she had recently inducted into the "Projects" before being dethroned. "Hi. It's—Kelly, right?"

"Kelly Prescott. The lacrosse captain's sister."

Blair found it kind of cute that Kelly had apparently tried her hand at copying her style.. Her blond hair was perfectly curled with a purple headband and knee socks. A little amateurish and matchy-matchy, but cute nonetheless.

"Oh, right. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was just seeing if you were doing anything for lunch."

Blair blinked in surprise. "You're not going to the steps?"

"Not today. I wanted to talk to you actually."

"Serena hasn't made it forbidden to talk to me?"

Kelly laughed, as if that was ridiculous. She'll learn, Blair thought. "No. She sent me."

Blair sighed. "Okay, I'm intrigued. But I hope you eat fast. I still have studying to do."

"No problem. I'll be quick."

Blair led Kelly to an empty table, and they both sat down. Blair unwrapped an apple and took out a Diet Coke, as Kelly unpacked a sandwich and bag of pretzels.

Blair took a bite of the apple, looking at her. "So unburden yourself."

"Okay," Kelly took a deep breath, sounding nervous "Well…you know Chuck Bass, right?"

"We occasionally cross paths." Blair shrugged.

"And you two are friends, right?"

"Kelly. What about him?"

Kelly looked down, blushing. "I…I like him."

Blair choked on her apple.

"Are you okay?" Kelly looked alarmed.

Blair swallowed hard, clearing her throat. "How do you even know him?"

"I went over to Serena's house to help her get ready for some benefit her mom was taking them to, and Chuck was there, and we started talking and he's just really funny and cute and-"

"And a good way to establish yourself at Constance." Blair interrupted her.

"What?"

"I get it. Putting yourself on the arm of an A-lister is the best way to get your name out. Just ask Sienna Miller."

"No, it's not like that, I really do like him! And I think he likes me too—he acted like it, anyway…"

Blair crossed her arms. "So tell me, Kelly, what was your big plan? Get my permission so youcan ask him out? Because I don't think he digs desperate."

"Well, Serena said I had to ask you first."

"Why? I don't own Chuck."

"But you guys went out, right? She said if I didn't ask, it'd be breaking the rules."

Blair's head was spinning. So Serena just threw this Kelly girl at her to torture her? And Chuck was flirting with freshmen behind her back?

She got to her feet, working herself up to a towering rage. "Chuck and I were together for about two seconds. The most misguided two seconds of my entire life. You know what? You want to date Chuck Bass? Go right ahead. Permission granted. Enjoy your new status- I couldn't care less."

"But you sound really upset."

"No! No, I'm just amazed at underclassmen these days. You all think you can just jettison the waiting list and go straight to the top."

"Blair-"

"Just out of curiosity, when are you going to launch your big Chuck Bass plan?"

"T-Tonight- all the girls are going to Penelope's birthday party, and Serena said Chuck would probably be there too."

"Well, as long as you unbutton a few buttons and are willing to put out on the first date, I'm sure he'll be interested. Have a super time, Kelly Prescott. I've got studying to do."

"You really do eat fast." Kelly said weakly as Blair threw everything into her bag and stormed off.

When she walked by Nate and Chuck's table, they both looked up.

"Blair, what's up? You look--" Nate decided not to say 'crazy' because he had seen this mood before, and it could get bad.

"I'm fine." Blair said, not looking at Chuck.

"Why don't you skip the library and sit with us?" Chuck said, motioning to the seat next to him.

"No, thanks." Blair said icily.

"What is wrong with you?" Chuck looked genuinely confused.

"Oh, I don't know, Chuck. Why don't you and Kelly go figure it out together?" Blair spat, turning on her heel and leaving.

Chuck looked at Nate, bewildered. "Who's Kelly?"

Nate shrugged. "No clue."

Blair flipped open her phone, hitting Speed Dial 2.

"Dorota? It's me. We need to go shopping."

--

"Well?" Blair came down the stairs of her house that night, spinning around.

Dorota bit her lip.

"It's a little much, Miss Blair."

Blair sighed. "What does that mean?"

"You kind of look like a prostitute."

Blair examined herself in the mirror. She was wearing a skin-tight black dress that barely covered a pink push-up bra. Her hair was curled and teased until it would easily rival Serena's. Her eye make-up was smoky and smudged, and her feet were bound in sky-high Giuseppe Zanotti gladiator-cum-dominatrix heels. She had even whipped out the garters and snaps to hold up her black striped tights.

"An expensive prostitute?" Blair pulled down her dress a little, reveling in having cleavage.

"Yes, Miss Blair."

"Perfect. Thanks, Dorota!"

Dorota just shook her head. "Happy to help, Miss Blair. Why are you doing this again?"

"I have a new girl to destroy and Chuck to seduce. I might as well look the part." Blair shrugged.

"You are back with Mr. Chuck?"

Blair considered this for a moment. "Honestly, Dorota? I have no clue."

"Well, then…good luck?"

"Thanks." Blair hugged her good-bye, and headed to the elevator.

--

The party was already well underway by the time Blair got there after a long day of shopping. She dropped her present for Penelope on the table of gifts as she walked by. There was DJ playing thumping music by Lady GaGa, a full bar, a dance floor, and little booths set up in the corners where people were already making out.

"Good party." Blair said under her breath, searching the room for Chuck. She finally spotted him sitting with Serena, their table surrounded by fans, and both of them talking and laughing way too loud to be sober. Kelly was sitting next to Chuck, her hand on his arm as she watched him adoringly.

"Bitch." Blair muttered under her breath, going to the bar.

"Wow."

Blair turned around to see Nate joining her. She smiled, doing a little spin. "You like?"

"I think this whole party's seeing more of you than I ever did when we went out."

"Well, lucky them."

"No kidding." Nate said, utilizing his ex-boyfriend rights to unashamedly check her out.

"Chuck and Serena look like they're having fun. What are they, like friends now?" She leaned against the bar.

"I don't know if they're friends so much as wasted." Nate laughed.

"Aww. Maybe they can go to family AA meetings." Blair sighed.

"You're in a better mood."

"You know me. I always feel better when I have a plan."

"A plan? What are you plotting now?" Nate shook his head in amazement.

Just then, Penelope appeared wearing a diamond tiara and grabbing both of them by the arm. "You two have got to see this! Serena just challenged Chuck to a drinking contest! This is going to be like The Clash of the Titans!"

Kelly was taking money from partygoers when Blair and Nate walked over, "Place your bets people! Ten shots apiece- fastest time wins!"

"Ten shots? Too bad Serena doesn't have me to clean vomit out of her hair anymore." Blair muttered to Nate.

"You are a crazy person." Chuck was shaking his head at his maniacally laughing sister, who looked like a kid on Christmas as Penelope placed the plate of twenty shots between them.

"You two sure you can handle this? I'm not taking you to get your stomachs pumped on my birthday." Penelope laughed.

"Please." Chuck rolled his eyes.

"Bring them on!" Serena started clapping.

"Your funeral." Penelope shrugged, walking away with her hands up.

"You ready for me, bro?" Serena giggled, putting her hands flat on the table.

"My boy was drinking liquor out of baby bottle. You're crazy, Serena." Nate rubbed Chuck's shoulders, as if warming him up for a boxing match.

"You can do it, Chuck." Kelly said in an annoying girly voice. Blair rolled her eyes. Chuck hadn't even noticed her or her dress.

"My money's on Serena." Iz said, standing on Serena's side of the table in a show of solidarity.

"Kelly, will you be the judge?" Serena said, cracking her knuckles.

"Of course. I promise to not be biased." Kelly winked at Chuck to the sound of catcalls.

Blair wondered if it was actually possible to see red.

"Okay- ready, competitors?"

"WHOOO!" Serena pounded the table.

"Ready." Chuck nodded his head.

"Then, on the count of three- 1…2…3!"

Chuck and Serena grabbed their first shot, clinking glasses and downing them in one swallow. These two really did turn drinking into an art form, and ten seconds in, they were both halfway done, neck and neck. It was turning into such an epic battle that the DJ even stopped the music to watch.

Empty shot glasses pounded the table, one after the other. People weren't even cheering anymore, just watching in awe. Finally, both Chuck and Serena grabbed their last shot, both taking a weary breath before raising it to their lips.

Chuck slammed his down a half-second before Serena, swallowing triumphantly. Serena didn't even care, cheering along with everyone else before putting her head wearily down on the table.

"New record! New record!" Nate pointed at his beleaguered friend, cracking up.

Kelly tapped on the mike the DJ had given her, turning to the crowd and hauling a bleary-eyed Chuck to his feet, "What should he get as a prize?"

Blair looked at Kelly's hand on his back, the dreamy expression in her eyes, and just couldn't take it anymore. Enough was enough.

"Me." Blair practically shoved Kelly out of the way, grabbing Chuck's lapels and kissing him hard in front of practically the entire school. After a moment of stunned silence, Chuck kissed her back and the whole room cheered.

Even Serena started clapping, laughing happily. Apparently ten shots had washed away the memory of being mad at Blair. And this was just the kind of moment you clapped for, whether you liked them or not.

Nate raised his drink as the music started up again. "To Chuck Bass!"

"Chuck Bass!" Everyone echoed, as Blair finally came up for air, holding Chuck's arm in the air.

"Get that man a chaser!" Nate laughed, handing him a glass of water as the DJ started up the music again.

"I think I've already found a better one." Chuck waved him off, kissing Blair again as everyone started dancing around them.

**Spotted: B and C cementing their status as party legends. How about we raise a shot glass to the new It Couple? Even S was cheering for them- but that might have just been the alcohol. With B on Chuck's arm, it will be even harder for the two queens of Constance to not cross paths- what's it going to take to rebuild a burned bridge? You know I'll be watching. XOXO Gossip Girl.**

Review for more! You guys rock!


	5. Depressed and BlairLess

A/N- Your support of this story just makes it so fun to keep writing

A/N- Your support of this story just makes it so fun to keep writing! Thank you all. I hope you like this chapter- I have to do two huge mid-term projects tomorrow, so reading reviews would be lovely to stop me from going crazy! Enjoy…

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Five**

**Rise and shine, S! Even It Girls have to face hangovers, but after what's being called the party of the year, I bet it was worth it. But you might find you have some strange bedfellows…**

Serena sat up and had that strange moment of being completely unsure of where she was. Trying to ignore the pounding in her head, she looked around. She recognized the blue drapes, the flat screen TV, and the old movie posters and realized she was asleep on the floor of her family's entertainment room. How the hell had she gotten here? How was she in pajamas?

And why were Blair and Chuck asleep next to her?

The three of them were practically buried in a mass of blankets and pillows on the floor. Serena knew she certainly hadn't put them there.

She heard a soft knocking on the door, and groaned when the door opened and let in glaring sunlight. It was Eric, holding a tray of fruit and coffee.

"Morning, sis."

Serena shushed him, covering her eyes. "Eric. I'm right here, stop shouting."

"I wasn't. I can't believe you're up this early."

"How did I get here? Why is Blair here? Why is she wearing my pajamas?"

"Me, me, and me. Blair called me at about three o'clock in the morning and said she was bringing you both home in a taxi. By the time she got here, she was exhausted too and kept complaining that she couldn't breathe in her dress. So I brought her some of your pajamas, and set up some pillows and blankets in the entertainment room because none of you were really in stair-climbing condition."

Serena thought hard, trying to remember any of this. Nothing. Eric contined.

"I got you dressed to go to sleep, and by the time we came back, Blair and Chuck were already passed out here. You just got in next to them and fell asleep in like two seconds."

"Wow. I must have been hammered."

"Uh…yeah."

Serena winced. "Did I throw up?"

Eric nodded sullenly.

"On you?"

He nodded again, shuddering in remembrance.

"I'm sorry! Thank you for being the best brother in the world!" She hugged him tightly.

"Oh, man, you need to brush your teeth. Or shower. Preferably both."

"Done. Did Chuck throw up?"

"Nope. He was asleep just like that when I left last night."

Serena and Eric looked at the sleeping Blair and Chuck, all entwined limbs and peaceful expressions.

"They look kind of sweet." Serena smiled.

"Til they wake up, right?"

Serena laughed, grabbing a cup of coffee and taking a long sip. "Chuck really does have an iron stomach."

"Either that or he's dead."

Serena looked slightly alarmed, and they both looked to see Chuck's chest rising and falling under Blair's hand. "He's fine," She got a little woozily to her feet, "I'm going to shower. Thanks again for helping out."

"That's what I'm here for. Have a crossaint at least." He held one out.

"Yum. Love ya." She took it and messed up his hair.

He shook her off. "Love you too."

--

Blair woke up, completely disoriented. Her head swam as she sat up, and it took her awhile to realize she was in the entertainment room at Serena's house.

Serena and Chuck's house, she corrected herself, looking down at a soundly sleeping Chuck Bass beside her. She gently moved his hand off of her so she could get to her feet, and try to figure out the best way to get out of here without waking him up. She vaguely remembered last night, and thought maybe she had been in a taxi at one point. That must be how she had gotten here.

And she remembered making out with Chuck. A lot. In front of everyone she knew. How very un-Waldorf like of her. Blair looked down at her crumpled dress and bra on the floor and shoved them into her huge purse.

She needed to get out of here. Clear her head. Figure out what had happened before she could do any kind of damage control. She and Chuck weren't even sure what they were, and now the whole school would be asking. What had she been thinking?

But first things first. Seeing as she was currently wearing Serena's heart-print pajamas and there was no way she was doing a walk of shame in her hooker dress, she was going to need clothes.

Blair tiptoed out of the room without waking Chuck, and was relieved to not see Serena.

"Making a break for it?"

She spun around to see Eric, looking amused from his spot at the kitchen table.

"WTF, Eric! Lurk much?"

"I wouldn't be so rude to the person who tucked you in last night."

Blair sighed. "Thank you, I guess. Where's Serena?"

"Showering."

"Oh, good. I'm just going to go borrow some clothes and head home."

"Looks like you had a quite a night." Eric grinned, holding up his phone.

Blair's shoulders sagged. "Let me guess. Gossip Girl has pictures?"

"And streaming video," Eric smiled mischievously, "I thought you and Chuck broke up."

"We did! We are broken up, I just—I have got to get out of here." Blair sighed, putting her head in her hands.

"I'll tell Serena you said hi."

Blair rolled her eyes, going upstairs to Serena's bedroom. She heard the shower still running in the hallway, and knew Serena liked to take epically long showers when she was hung over, so she had still had time.

She walked by Chuck's room (unable to resist seeing what it looked like- very, very clean and lots of dark blues and grays with a perfectly organized closet) and finally found Serena's. It was all gold and pink, and a total wreck. Serena had apparently agonized over what to wear to Penelope's party last night- there was a mass of clothes on the floor and pairs of shoes thrown haphazardly all over. Blair sorted through them to see if there was anything she could just throw on- Serena was a lot taller than her, so jeans were pretty much out.

She finally dug out one of those weird T-shirt dresses Serena seemed so fond of and pulled it on, folding Serena's pajamas and putting them in the corner. The shirt dress swallowed her, so Blair found a belt and some brown leather sandals. She looked at herself in the mirror.

"Oh, I'm Serena. I don't wear pants, ever." Blair mocked, thinking she kind of looked like a bag lady. How did Serena make this look so effortlessly cool?

Whatever. She heard the shower turning off, and knew she had to get out of here.

Blair slipped back out the door, and walked down the stairs quickly. She heard Eric talking on the phone in his room.

Phew. Home free.

"How do you manage to still look gorgeous after the night we had?"

Damn it.

She turned around to see a very sleepy-eyed Chuck closing the door to the entertainment room behind him.

"Hey." She said, standing there a little awkwardly.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. I should go. My mom's probably wondering where I am."

They both knew that was lie. Chuck ran a hand through his hair. "Why are you wearing Serena's clothes?"

Blair couldn't help but laugh. "How'd you know?"

"Not exactly your style. But then again, I would never have figured Blair Waldorf for wearing that dress last night either."

"You did notice." She smiled.

"Of course," He crossed to her, his voice still a little raspy from sleep and making Blair's heart speed up, "Every guy at that party wished they were me."

"Yeah. Last night…was interesting for sure."

They looked at each other, memories flooding back of making out in darkened corners. She remembered him saying things into her ear that would make even Georgina Sparks blush, remembered straddling him in a booth in a back room, but couldn't quite remember if anything else had happened.

"What are you thinking?" Chuck said softly.

"How much do you remember about what we did last night?"

"Everything I remember was incredible." He said, brushing her hair back behind her ear with one hand.

She closed her eyes, leaning against his hand. "I don't know if it was such a good idea, Chuck. You were wasted. We shouldn't have-"

"Don't say that." Chuck took her face in his hands, suddenly looking much more awake.

"I just--we were in no position to be going public- you and I don't even know what we are, let alone what to tell everyone else--"

Chuck sighed, way too hung over to deal with this. "Blair, come on. Who cares about what everybody else thinks?"

She put her hands on her hips. "You have met me, right?"

"What are you, ashamed of me?"

She didn't say anything for a minute, and Chuck shook his head, disgusted. "Maybe you should just go."

"Chuck, wait-"

"No, forget this, Blair. It's just the same old story as last year. You only want to be with me when you can keep it your dirty little secret."

"You only want to be with me when you can't have me." Blair shot back.

"You kissed _me_ last night, Blair. You asked me to that hotel last weekend. I didn't start any of this, you did."

"Meaning you don't want to be with me? I just forced it on you?" Blair said, feeling a hot flush of embarrassment.

"That's not what I said!"

"Then what, Chuck? What are we even doing?" Blair demanded.

An unbearably long silence fell between them.

"I'm leaving." Blair said, unable to look at him.

"I don't know what you want from me, Blair. I never do."

"I don't want anything from you! Let's just forget this ever happened. We'll just tell people we were drunk. It was a party; it happens."

Blair walked over to the elevator, and left without another word.

Chuck watched her go, feeling exhausted and hung over and…something else. The way he always felt when Blair walked away from him, like some part of him had been ripped out.

"Ugh, I feel awful. How are you not sick after last night?" Serena said, walking up behind him in a bathrobe with her hair in a towel turban.

Chuck opened his mouth to reply, but his throat felt choked.

Serena looked in shock at the sight of her stepbrother on the edge of an actual human emotion. "Are you okay?"

Chuck swallowed hard. "I'm fine."

"Where's Blair?"

"She left. Somehow, what happened last night was my fault. Everything's always my fault."

"Last night when you guys kissed? How is that anybody's fault? It's a good thing." Serena said, mystified.

"Apparently being with me is never a good thing. It's always a mistake. It's always a regret."

"Chuck, don't say that. She's just…being Blair. She wants to be with you, I know she does. It really messed her up when you left her last summer."

"I don't what else I can do to make up for that!" Chuck said, his voice breaking.

"Have you actually told her you're sorry?" Serena said, leaning against the wall.

Chuck thought this over for a second. "Maybe…not in so many words."

"Well, there you go. Apologize. I can't believe you haven't already."

"I'm new at this, Serena. And Blair's not exactly the easiest person to make happy, as you well know."

Serena smiled. "You are signing up for a lifetime of misery, bro."

"You don't think Blair's worth all of this?"

Serena considered this for a moment, looking up at Chuck.

"I didn't say that. I would never say that. Blair will make you absolutely insane, will make you want to rip your hair out, but at the end of the day…she's the best friend I ever had. She will care about you like nobody else in this world. She'll believe in you, fight for you, take care of you…she's absolutely worth all of this. Don't mess this up again, Chuck. Make it right with her. I wish I could."

Now Serena was about to cry. Chuck crossed to her, his hand on her arm. "She'll forgive you, Serena. She misses you."

Serena impulsively hugged him. "Thank you, Chuck."

Momentarily shocked, it took him a moment to pat her awkwardly on the back. Nobody hugged Chuck. Ever.

"What, are we bonding?" He broke away as quickly as possible, laughing nervously.

"No one's _ever _beat me at a drinking contest. I have to at least respect you now." Serena grinned.

--

Blair sat in her bubble bath later that day, trying to read a magazine but unable to stop thinking about Chuck. She had felt so free last night, so unburdened, so unBlair. Chuck was the only person who had ever let her show a side of herself that wasn't perfect and pristine, and she loved it.

_I don't know what you want from me, Blair. I never do._

She couldn't answer him because she had no idea either. What did she want from Chuck? A boyfriend? A partner in crime? Just sex?

You know what you want, her subconscious not so gently reminded her. You said it yourself.

_Three words. Eight letters. Say it, and I'm yours._

But she was just wishing for something that would never happen, no matter how many vodka shots he did or how many times they ended up in each other's arms. Blair sank lower in the hot water, closing her eyes and remembering last weekend in the hotel, in the shower together, the steaming hot water pounding her back, Chuck's wet hand cupping her breast, his teeth gently brushing the muscle in her shoulder as he kissed her skin--

Suddenly, her phone vibrated with a new text message. Blair mentally shook herself, looking down at the phone. Chuck. Of course.

_Can we have dinner tonight?_

Blair wiped off her hands on her fluffy blue towel, considering the offer. After a moment, she texted back.

_Where?_

_I'll pick you up. Eight?_

_Fine._

Blair snapped her phone shut, not allowing herself to think this was anything other than a fancy break-up. From a relationship that didn't even exist. This is what happened with everyone- her dad, Nate, Serena- everyone just got tired of dealing with her. Why would Chuck be any different?

--

"Miss Blair? Mr. Chuck is here to see you!" Dorota called up the stairs.

Blair stared at herself in the mirror, looking like an entirely different person from last night. She was wearing a structured red and white Herve Leger dress with red pumps. She had pulled her hair back into a bun and her signature headband (this time, white with a large red rose) was back in place. Apparently, emulating Serena's wild mane of hair look had led to her doing very, very bad things. Controlled was much more her style anyway.

"I'm coming." Blair called back, picking up her white leather clutch purse and walking down the stairs, feeling anxious.

Chuck was wearing a beautiful black suit with a red tie (almost like he knew to match me, she thought), and holding a bouquet of a dozen yellow roses. Blair raised her eyebrows.

"Flowers?"

"Your favorite. You look beautiful tonight." Chuck said, holding them out to her.

"You look more sober tonight." She handed the flowers to Dorota, who went to the kitchen to put them in water.

"Should we go?"

"I guess."

They walked outside to his waiting limo, and Chuck opened the door for her. She looked at him, shaking her head.

"What?" He laughed.

"I just…no one ever knows you can be like this but me. I try to tell people, and they never believe me."

"What am I being like?"

"A nice person." She got in the limo.

They both sat down and rode in silence for a few minutes. He noticed her smiling as she stared out the window.

"What?" Chuck asked.

"I was just thinking…this is the first time we've been alone in a limo together since--"

"Victrola." Chuck finished for her, smiling too.

"Can you believe that was almost a year ago?"

"Almost exactly a year ago."

"It seems like much longer." Blair said, turning to look at him, her cheek resting against the leather.

"I know," His hand slid over to cover hers, "I missed you so much this summer, Blair. I'm sorry for everything."

Blair blinked, more than a little shocked. "Chuck--"

"I would give anything to go back and do things differently." Chuck said, his voice so low she could hardly hear him.

She took his hand, lacing her fingers through his. "Thank you."

He leaned towards her, kissing her forehead.

Blair leaned against his shoulder. "About this morning…I just got a little…crazy," She laughed, "You make me crazy."

"It's okay. I can take it."

"Really? You can handle me?" Blair laughed.

"I think you know the answer to that." He took her face in his hands, kissing her cheek, her neck, the side of her mouth, everything but her lips until Blair was almost dying.

"Bass?" Blair laughed.

"Yeah?"

"_Really_ kiss me."

"The demands start already." He grinned.

"Get used to it." She grabbed his collar, pulling him to her.

--

"Why are we in the Meatpacking District?" Blair wrinkled her nose as they got out, holding hands.

"Broaden your mind a little, please. I made reservations at Scarpetta. My dad knows the owner."

"Serena always says there's good shopping here. She would know all about good prostitute-wear, I guess."

"This was just voted the most fashionable district in New York. Get with the times, Waldorf."

"That is so metro that you know that."

"You want to date someone with no fashion sense, I hear Dan Humphrey's available."

"Ugh. No thank you. Metro away." Blair smiled, waving her hand.

They reached Scarpetta, and the hostess (slash model, thought Blair) seemed to recognize Chuck.

"Mr. Bass- your table's ready." She flashed him a brilliant white smile, leading them to a table in the back.

Blair waited to see if Chuck would notice the girl's ridiculously short black skirt. He didn't seem to, fixing the cuff of his sleeve.

"Enjoy your meal." The hostess said, still smiling that vacant smile and practically falling out of her shirt as she handed them their menus.

"What did I say? Prostitutes." Blair muttered, opening her menu.

"Who?"

"Oh, please, Chuck. That girl practically let your motorboat her boobs right here."

"That's Theresa. She's an old friend."

"Right. Because you have so many friends who are girls."

"Relax. She's got nothing on you."

"Good answer. What are you getting to drink?"

"Just water for me. Hearing Serena turn her stomach inside out all morning kind of killed my taste for alcohol."

"I remember those mornings. And she's probably doing it all over again tonight." Blair said testily.

"I don't think so. She and Eric were watching a movie with their mom when I left."

Blair looked up from her menu. "On a Saturday night? No way."

"You know she's the reason for all of this."

"What do you mean?"

"She told me that I should make it right with you before I ended up like her—depressed and Blair-less."

"Depressed? Yeah, right."

"She said you're not even taking her calls."

Blair looked away. "I don't really need judgment from you, Chuck."

"I'm not judging, I'm just stating facts. Serena misses you."

"How sad for her." Blair said in a tone that clearly indicated this conversation was over.

Chuck took the hint, looking down at his menu without another word.

Blair sighed, putting her hand on his. "Chuck. Please don't let Serena ruin this for us. This night's about you and me, not her."

He looked up. "You're right. Enough about Serena," He raised his glass, "To us. To starting over."

Blair clinked her glass against his, flashing him one of her rare genuine smiles.

**I spy with my well-informed eye B and C having their first real date—in the Meatpacking District, no less. Could this be the beginning of a new age? The reign of B and N went down in flames, but Chuck always read a little more royal to me anyway. He may not be a lord, but the Bass name is practically synonymous with dirty, filthy rich. Certainly if we're talking deep pockets, Blair's traded up. **

**But will a new man be enough to fill the S-shaped hole in B's heart? Only time will tell. You know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl.**

A/N- Review if you want more! Thanks!


	6. Blaironomics

A/N- Thank you guys so much

A/N- Thank you guys so much! Your reviews make me so happy. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Six**

**Gossip Girl here, suffering from a bad case of poison ivy…Ivy League, that is. Yes, it's Ivy week at Constance and St. Jude's where all of our pretty little players disperse to make the all-important impression on the admissions rep from their respective dream school. We already knew B and C were headed for Yale, but now it's looking like Re-LonelyBoy is joining them as well. Oh, dear- Dan Humphrey's the only one even close to Blair's perfect academic record. But B does have C in her back pocket now- I sure wouldn't cross them. Let the games commence…**

Blair took a deep breath, walking through the doors of the Dean's office. He was seated in a large wing-backed chair, and looked up at her disinterestedly.

"Oh, hello Miss…" He glanced down at her application, "Miss Waldorf. Please, take a seat."

Blair smoothed down her perfectly pressed white shirt and argyle sweater and crossed one tweed-outfitted leg over the other. "Thank you, sir. You have a beautiful campus."

"We like to think so. How was your trip to Connecticut?"

"Very pleasant."

He scanned her application to refresh his memory. "Ah, yes. I've looked over your application very thoroughly, and I must say, I'm impressed. Very well done."

Blair tried not to look too pleased with herself.

"Your academic record is flawless, you have strong recommendations from alumni, your essay about your father's home in France was stirring--"

"Thank you, sir.' Blair beamed.

"But." Her shoulders sagged as if she had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. "I feel as though there's something missing here. Some piece of Blair Waldorf that is not represented in this folder. Am I right?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

He sighed, tenting his fingers and resting his chin at their peak. "You really want to go to Yale?"

"More than anything in the world." She sat forward in her seat.

"You'd do anything to go here, wouldn't you?" He said, looking a bit amused.

"Anything."

He sat back in his seat. "Prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"Show me how badly you want to go to Yale."

Blair took a deep breath, reaching up to her perfectly arranged French twist. She pulled out the clip, shaking her long brown hair loose around her shoulders. She stood up, unbuttoning her sweater. "Tell me what you want." She said in a low voice.

"How about you show me a special skill that's not on your application?"

"Whatever you say," She made her way over to him, spinning his chair to face her with the pointed toe of her boot, "You don't do this with all the applicants, do you?"

Chuck pulled her into his lap. "No, Miss Waldorf. You're special."

"Good." She grinned, kissing him deeply.

--

Chuck rolled over onto his back, shoving one of Blair's lacy pillows off her bed. He took a deep breath. "Well, Miss Waldorf, I've thought it over."

Blair looked over at him, smiling. "What's the verdict?"

"I'd let you into my college." He said, breathing out heavily.

"Really?"

He pulled her on top of him, his hands on her bare back, "Baby, I'd build you your own wing."

Blair grinned devilishly, "Well, let's hope the Yale Dean of Admissions is as depraved as you."

"If you tried this, you'd probably kill him. The guy's pushing eighty."

"Damn. I guess I'm just stuck with you, then."

"Guess so." Chuck's hands tangled in her hair as he pulled her down to him.

Suddenly, Blair's phone went off on the bedside table. She sighed, pulling away. "Hold that thought." She said, checking the phone, "I should take this."

Chuck looked at her perfect naked back, sighing contentedly as she answered. "Hello? Oh, hey mom. Yeah. Chuck's just helping me pack for New Haven." She winked at him, getting up and starting to get dressed. "That sounds great. Okay. Bye." Blair snapped the phone shut, picking her clothes up off the floor.

"Why are you getting dressed?" Chuck looked annoyed.

"My mom's going to be home in like two minutes," She handed him his pants, "I don't think she'd buy us packing naked."

"Probably not. We really didn't get much packing done, huh?"

"No, I guess not." Blair smiled, rehooking her bra.

"What are you going to wear tomorrow?" Chuck asked, rebuttoning his shirt and retying his tie.

"I was thinking just this," Blair indicated her lingerie, "Thought it might help me stand out from the crowd."

"Now that sounds like my kind of college," Chuck smiled, looking at his slightly wrinkled clothes in the mirror, "Should I take off?"

"My mom said she's taking me to a good-luck dinner, you know, to freak me out about tomorrow. But you can come if you want, I'm sure she wouldn't care." Blair pulled her argyle sweater back on.

"Does she know about us?"

"I don't even think she knows Nate and I are broken up." Blair laughed.

"Then I should probably head home. Don't want to upset the Waldorf status quo."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow?" She said, fixing his collar.

"Bright and early. I was thinking of swinging by Queller's office before we leave, check out the list, see who else signed up."

"So we can plan their destruction on the way?"

"You read my mind." Chuck kissed her good-bye, "Bye, Blair."

"Bye." She said a little dreamily, watching him walk down the stairs and into the elevator.

Blair sighed happily, leaning against the wall.

"You're in a good mood." Dorota commented, walking up the stairs with the laundry a moment later.

"I've never been better, Dorota." Blair shrugged.

"Your shirt is on inside out, Miss Blair."

Blair flushed scarlet, checking her tags. "Well, would you look at that. How strange. I hope I haven't been walking around like that all day."

Dorota smiled. "You should probably fix that"

"Right you are, Dorota. Thank you." Blair said, nearly running into the wall as she turned around.

"Is everything okay, Miss Blair?"

"I'm just…excited about tomorrow." Blair laughed a little nervously, disappearing into her room and closing the door behind her.

She leaned against the door, exhaling. Why was she acting like such a crazy person?

_I can't sleep, I can't eat. I feel sick. Like there's something in my stomach…fluttering._

That Chuck Bastard. She couldn't be off her game tomorrow. She hadn't felt like this since Nate first shared his crayons with her in second grade.

Was it weird to have a crush on her own boyfriend?

--

Chuck stepped into the elevator at the Palace, smiling as he read something on his phone.

"Hold the elevator!" Serena said, catching up to him, "Hey, Chuck."

"Serena." He nodded, pushing the button for their floor.

"Were you just at Blair's?" She said, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why do you ask?"

"You look so…happy. It's freaking me out."

"You don't want to see your own brother happy?"

"I just need to adjust. So things are good with Blair?"

"I'm going to have to invent a new word for how good it is." Chuck said, giving Serena one of his rare not-dirty smiles.

"Well, well. Chuck Bass in love." Serena clapped a hand to her heart, grinning.

"Let's not get carried away." He scoffed.

"No, seriously, I am proud of your growing up process- It's like watching a baby deer learn how to walk." Serena giggled as they stepped off the elevator together.

"Get a hold of yourself." Chuck said, about to laugh too.

"Finally!" Eric stood up from the couch as they walked in, "Chuck, I've been texting you for the last hour!"

"Sorry, E. He's been too busy drawing pictures of Blair in his diary with little hearts and stars around them." Serena said, plopping down on the couch.

"Ignore her," Chuck sighed, "What's up Eric?"

"You're good at Economics, right?" Eric said, indicating a huge pile of homework spilled all over the coffee table.

"He's good at Blair-o-nomics!" Serena cracked herself up, switching on the TV.

"Now you're not even making sense," Chuck looked at her, shaking his head as Eric picked up his homework, "Come on, Eric. Let's let your dear sister think of some more clever jokes."

Eric and Chuck walked into the office to the sounds of Serena still laughing.

--

"So I have a surprise for you." Chuck walked up behind Blair, who was flipping through her "So You Want to Go to Yale…" packet in front of school.

"Ooh, I love surprises." Blair turned around, smiling.

"My dad said we can take the car to Connecticut. I know the school hired a bus but--"

"We're not really bus people."

"Exactly."

"Fun! Did you get the list?" She took his hand as he led her towards the waiting car.

"Copied down and in my bag."

"You mean your man purse. Anyone we should be worried about besides Dapper Dan?"

"Nelly Yuki signed up." Chuck said, looking annoyed.

"Of course she did. Oh well. Thanks to me, her SAT scores sucked. She's not that big of a threat."

"So you can take care of her. Leave Humphrey to me." Chuck said, his eyes darkening.

"That's not a happy voice. What'd Dan ever do to you?"

"He's a prick. I've always hated him." Chuck shrugged.

"Liar. Tell me what happened."

"We've got about an hour drive. I'll tell you on the way." Chuck said, watching Dan walk across the courtyard to the waiting bus.

Dan briefly made eye contact with Chuck, looking away quickly.

Dan Humphrey. What an asshole. Chuck decided he would tell Blair the part about Dan trying to use his far more interesting life for his lame book, but just not the part about his mother. Chuck still hated that he'd told anyone that.

He didn't want anyone feeling sorry for him, least of all Blair.

"Aww, how cute. Dan's trying to do the man purse thing too." Blair watched him as well, snapping Chuck out of his thoughts.

"Trying and failing."

"Why is he staring at us?" Blair's eyes narrowed as Dan watched them from the bus window.

"Maybe he wants a ride. Let's go."

"New Haven, here we come." She shrugged, sitting down after Chuck opened the door for her.

--

Blair entered Chuck's dorm room for the weekend in a Michael Kors floral print skirt and purple blouse.

"You almost ready for dinner?" She asked impatiently.

"Almost. Talk to me, Waldorf. How'd it go?" He said, holding out his sleeve for her to button the cuff. It was kind of convenient having a girl around to do these things.

She obliged, looking very proud of herself. "Nelly Yuki is currently headed to her very first college party, all thoughts of some stuffy Dean's Dinner far from her mind. I know the president of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority- she modeled in one of my mom's shows and was more than happy to help me out."

"Nice."

"What about you? Blindfold Dan and drop him off with the Skull and Bones boys yet?"

"Nice idea, but no. Dan Humphrey is meeting with the head of the English department at a pub downtown."

Blair looked up from his sleeve in exasperation. "Chuck, we want him to _not_ get in! How is that helping us? "

"Have you no faith in me? The head of the English department will be at the Dean's Dinner tonight. The man Dan is meeting is a very handsomely paid employee of my father's who was nice enough to take a little road trip and invest in some tweed."

"Are you serious? You _hired_ someone?" She laughed out loud.

"All he has to do is sit there and listen to Dan prattle on for a few hours about being misunderstood and falling for a girl from another world, you know, the usual. He probably won't get a word in edgewise."

Blair rolled her eyes. "No amount of money could convince me to sit through that."

"I know." Chuck laughed, putting on his suit jacket.

"I think we did it, Bass. Threats neutralized." She crossed her arms, looking absurdly proud.

"They should have known better." He smiled at Blair as they stood face to face.

"True. This isn't exactly our first time at the social annihilation rodeo."

"Or our last. You're not worried I'll take your spot? Or do you have some grand double cross planned on the way to dinner?" Chuck asked.

"I don't know. I'm starting to think it would be way more fun here with you around. And who says they can only accept one of us?" Blair shrugged, standing very close to him now.

"You think we'll both get in?"

"If we rock this dinner, which we will," Blair's eyes were practically on fire with the thrill of it all, "Can't you just see it, Chuck? You and me, ruling the best of the Ivy Leagues, spending our weekends at the coast, slowly bending the entire freshman class to our will- Yale's not going to know what hit--"

"Blair?" Chuck cut her off, looking pale and terrified all of a sudden.

"What?"

"I love you."

--

**Well. This has never happened to me, loyal readers. Just like B, I'm speechless. Give me a moment to process—and maybe help B up off the floor. **

**Until next time-- you know you love me. And now we know C loves B. This is getting good…XOXO Gossip Girl.**

A/N- I love reviews. I love you for reading this. Love is all around this chapter!


	7. Rotten to the Core

A/N- Ya'll are the best

A/N- Ya'll are the best! Please do enjoy!

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Seven**

**Don't worry- I'll let C do the talking. In case you need a little refresher course—previously, in Gossip Girl-land…**

"Can't you just see it, Chuck? You and me, ruling the best of the Ivy Leagues, spending our weekends at the coast, slowly bending the entire freshman class to our will- Yale's not going to know what hit--"

"Blair?" Chuck cut her off, looking pale and terrified all of a sudden.

"What?"

"I love you."

There was a moment of stunned silence between them. Chuck wondered if it would be bad form to just run away. He didn't have much of a point of reference for telling people he loved them, since he literally never had.

"What did you say?" Blair asked a little shakily.

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking." Chuck said, terrified.

"You said you love me." She said, shaking her head in amazement.

"I guess I did."

Blair shook her head, her eyes glassy. "You do this _now_?" She sounded furious.

"When should I have done it?"

"Oh, I don't know! When I was begging you to at the White Party? When I didn't have a the most important dinner of my life to focus on?"

"I'm…sorry?" Chuck said slowly.

"You should be! Was this your grand plan? Throw me off my game with this random confession so you get the Yale spot?" Blair looked a little hysterical.

"No, Blair! I didn't plan any of this, believe me."

Blair took a deep breath. "Chuck, sometimes I hate you. I really do. I should have known you would pick the absolute worst time and place for this. I've worked for this weekend my whole life, and then you just sign up and change everything and make me feel-"

"Make you feel what?" He said, putting his hands on her hips and pulling her closer.

She sighed shakily, their foreheads touching. "Do you really want me to say it? You won't freak out and run away?"

"I'm done running away." He said softly, Blair's hands in his hair as she looked up at him.

"I love you, Chuck Bass." She said, feeling like an enormous load had been lifted off her shoulders by finally saying it out loud.

He kissed her gently, and for once, neither of them had their guard up, smiling at each other like idiots when they broke apart.

"Chuck?" Blair said, her arms around his neck.

"What?"

"Was that your first time?"

"We should probably get going, Blair." He said, obviously at his quota for emotional sharing for one night.

She smiled, knowing her hunch was right. Guess she and Chuck always ended up being each other's firsts.

"You're right. Our public awaits." She took his hand, picking up her purse.

"I'm sorry I couldn't think of anywhere better than a dorm room for the first time." Chuck said as they walked out the door.

"Oh, please. You in a Yale dorm room? Those are like two of my favorite things."

"Aww." Chuck laughed.

"See? And Serena says I can't be nice."

"Blair, you are many things. Nice is not one of them."

Blair smiled. "You don't mind having a not-nice girlfriend?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good. Let's go show all these other wannabes how not nice we can be."

--

Chuck stared out the window on the drive home the following afternoon, wishing he could sleep as peacefully as his travel companion. Blair was passed out asleep on his shoulder (they had barely slept last night- the I-love-yous and dinner going so well had proved to be an aphrodisiac) but even though Chuck was tired, he couldn't fall asleep.

Something was nagging at him. A feeling honed from many years of anticipating outcomes that something bad was on the horizon. What could go wrong? Things were perfect with Blair, good with his family, good with Nate—but he couldn't shake it. There was something in the air—like the winds were changing.

It was very unsettling. Suddenly his phone rang. He clicked the talk button quickly, not wanting to wake up Blair.

"Hello?" He said, as quietly as he could.

"Charles. It's your father."

As if he had to say that every time.

"Dad. How can I help you?" Chuck said, feeling a little nervous. He and his dad never just talked.

"How was Yale? Did you and Blair have a good trip?"

"We attended the Dean's Dinner, and he loved us. It went very well." Chuck said, waiting for his dad to get to the point. No way was he just checking in.

"Look, Charles, I was wondering if we could get dinner when you get back into town. Victrola's doing so well that I'm looking to expand the business, and I've hired a new intern to work with you on perhaps expanding into a franchise, led by young, capable people like yourself and my new hire. I want to fully reintegrate you back into the company. I think you're ready. It would be wonderful if we could all meet—discuss the business' future."

Chuck tried not to sound too excited. "That would be great. Fantastic. I would love that."

"Great. Meet me at the office whenever you get back."

"I will. Thank you, father."

"Bye." His dad hung up, abruptly as always

Chuck looked over at Blair, dying to tell someone the news. His dad was actually entrusting him with something? And wanting to talk to him? This was unprecedented.

But still that same nagging feeling. A lifetime of getting screwed over had taught Chuck that when things seem too good to be true, it's usually because they're about go spectacularly wrong.

--

Chuck rode the elevator up to his dad's office, his phone buzzing with a text message. He flipped it open.

_Don't worry; you'll be great. Thanks for an amazing weekend. Love U. B._

Chuck smiled, closing it. He would be great. This was the start of a whole new life for him- Blair was his girlfriend, his dad was finally counting on him—maybe he really could change from the person he used to be.

He walked down the hall to his father's vast corner office, and heard the sound of female laughter drifting out the open door.

"Sounds like you started without--" Chuck said, walking in and stopping dead.

Georgina Sparks was sitting across from his father. When she spotted Chuck, her face broke into a wide smile. She got up and walked over to him, holding out her hand.

"Chuck Bass. It really has been too long."

He took her hand, shaking it. "Georgina. This is a surprise."

"I told your dad how thrilled you'd be. You and me, working together- doesn't that sound fun?"

"That's one word for it."

"Chuck, try to be nice. You two will be spending a lot of time together." Bart said.

Suddenly, Bart's phone rang. He checked it, sighing. "You two go on down to the car. I'll meet you there in a moment."

Chuck took Georgina's arm, practically dragging her into the hallway. She laughed, letting him. "Bass, I knew you liked it rough, but not in your own father's office."

"Stop it," He growled, not letting go, "What the hell are you doing here? Break out of rehab again?"

"Hardly. I finished my program. Passed with flying colors. My parents thought an internship opportunity would be good for me to get back on track. Lo and behold, I found out your daddy dearest was looking for a fresh new face in his company. You remember how he always liked me? It wasn't even hard."

"Didn't you cause enough damage last time? I thought Blair made it pretty clear-- we all hate you, Georgina. Get it through your head."

She smiled, not buying it. "Oh, Chuck. You never hated me. I was the only one who let you be who you are. And if I recall correctly, sophomore year, you were the one calling me to come over at two o'clock in the morning and give you the best--"

"Things have changed, Georgina. I'm not that person anymore."

"Oh, come on!" She laughed out loud. "People like you and me don't change, Bass. That's the beauty of it. We're not complicated. We just pretend to be so that the Serenas and Blairs of the world don't see."

"See what?"

"Us. Who we really are. Rotten to the core." She said, and he suddenly realized how close she was standing.

"You're wrong." He said, stepping away from her.

"We'll see."

Bart stepped out of his office. "Ready, kids?"

"Ready, Mr. Bass. Thank you again for this opportunity." Georgina smiled sweetly.

"Chuck?"

"Ready, father."

**Uh-oh, C. And just when things were going so well. G always did know how to push his buttons- and apparently those rumors about their sophomore year dalliances weren't so far off base. And you know what they say about never forgetting your first…hope B's ready for the fight of her life. I know one person who will understand her pain- are you listening, S? They say nothing brings people together like a common enemy. B and S, how about it? Bury the hatchet to bury Georgina Sparks? I've gotta say, the girl does keep things interesting…until next time. You know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl. **

A/N- Thanks for reading! I love reviews!


	8. Truce

A/N- Sorry for lack of updates lately- I'm applying to grad school and it's mega-stressful

A/N- Sorry for lack of updates lately- I'm applying to grad school and it's mega-stressful! But I hope you enjoy- reviews are wonderful and help me not pull out my hair from grad school madness! Love ya'll.

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Eight**

**Spotted: Fresh off from his successful trip to Yale, C and G downing drinks at Victrola, celebrating the new Bass/Sparks joint venture. It only seems fitting- this place was made for bad girls like G- and B if you recall last year's little Waldorf peep show. I'm sure you remember. Let's just hope C does. Choose your drinks carefully, C- Georgina's been known to bring her own mixers with some nasty side effects. S could tell you all about it…**

Chuck sat across from Georgina at their table. Bart had excused himself to take (surprise, surprise) a business call.

Georgina sipped her Lemon Drop, taking it all in. "This place really is incredible, Bass."

Chuck raised an eyebrow. "Are recent rehab graduates really supposed to be drinking?"

She sighed. "Sorry, _dad_. Do you want me to go get a water?"

"I don't really care what you do."

She took another sip. "I didn't go in for alcohol, sweetie."

"What then? Sex? Drugs?"

"Check and check." She giggled, crossing one liquid legging-clad leg over the other.

"And now?"

"Oh, I'm completely cured." She said, doing a sarcastic innocent face that didn't really suit her.

"Right," Chuck rolled his eyes, feeling his phone suddenly go off in his pocket. He reached for it, checking the screen. Blair. Shit. He couldn't exactly explain what he was doing here in a quick conversation. He let it go to voicemail.

Georgina watched him like a hawk, like always. "Who was that?"

He was about to lie when she grabbed the phone out of his hand, checking it.

Georgina sat back in her chair, smiling. "Well, well. Blair Waldorf. The Virgin Queen of the Upper East Side. Anyone pry her knees apart yet?"

"I don't know; we're really not that close anymore." Chuck shrugged casually.

"Don't eff with an effer, Chuck. If you're not close, then why is she calling you at eleven o'clock at night?"

"I don't know." Chuck said, getting defensive.

"Well, let's find out." Georgina pressed the 1 for voicemail, switching it to speaker. Chuck thought it would look very uncool to lose it and rip the phone out of her hands. Blair's voice came out of the tiny speakers, barely loud enough for them to hear.

_Hey. Just seeing how the meeting went. I'm sure you were brilliant. Come over later and tell me everything. We can celebrate…however you want. Kind of kidding! Love you. Bye. _

Georgina could barely contain her glee. "_Love you_?" She repeated in a cruel imitation of Blair's voice.

Chuck calmly took his phone back. "Your life must be so dull that you find ours so fascinating. You make Gossip Girl's stalker tendencies look mild."

"You and Blair Waldorf? No _fucking_ way."

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Chuck Bass and the girl who spent her entire life judging me and Serena for not being a psycho prude like her? I just don't see it."

"Well, good thing none of us need the cokehead's approval for our decisions."

"Former cokehead, thank you very much. What are you and Blair doing to celebrate tonight? Holding hands?" Georgina cackled, clasping her hands together like she had never heard something so precious.

"We're done here." Chuck sighed, getting up to leave.

"No, come on, Chuck! Lighten up! You want to date Mother Superior, what do I care? I just hope you get used to giving yourself hand jobs from now on." Georgina said, still laughing hysterically.

"You're disgusting." Chuck said, putting on his jacket.

"Oh, you're breaking my heart," Georgina laughed, grabbing his arm, "Don't go. I'm sorry, okay? It's just a little bit of a shock. Did Nate totally flip his shit when Blair left him for you? Or was this post-stoner boy?"

"Please direct any further questions to the online forums. Good night, Georgina." Chuck smiled sarcastically, leaving the club and bumping straight into his father.

"Chuck? Where do you think you're going?" Bart stopped him.

"I'm not feeling well, father." Chuck said, just wanting to get the hell out of here. He really wasn't feeling well- the thudding music, flashing lights, and alcohol working through his system were not sitting right with him for the first time in memory.

Or maybe it was just breathing the same air as Georgina.

"This is a business meeting, Chuck. It's very unprofessional to just walk out."

Chuck felt like he couldn't breathe. He needed to go. But the only way to get away from his dad was to level with him.

"Father, I'm just not sure if hiring her is the best idea. She has a history of drug abuse. Do you really want that coming out and reflecting badly on the company?"

"If we're letting go all of the people with addiction problems, maybe I should just fire you too." Bart said pointedly.

_Maybe you should fire yourself_. Chuck though brattily, but kept his face neutral. He sighed.

"Fine. Keep her around. But don't be surprised when it hurts Bass Industries."

"I thought you two were friends. She used to come over all the time."

Chuck was frankly shocked his father had even noticed this.

"We used to be friends until I found out she was completely crazy. You're making a big mistake."

They looked over at Georgina, who gave them a friendly smile and wave.

"Looks pretty harmless to me," Bart said, putting his hand on Chuck's shoulder in a patronizing way, "Come on. You're always talking about proving yourself. I'm giving you the chance to expand this place into a franchise. Don't you want that?"

Chuck took a deep breath, his lungs flooded with smoke and sweat. "Of course, father."

**Aww, poor C. Nothing like some juicy daddy issues to lead you down the path of least resistance. Guess that little celebration with B is just going to have to wait.**

--

Chuck collapsed on the couch at around two in the morning, feeling physically and emotionally drained. His dad and Georgina were very exhausting people to spend an evening with.

Serena came out of the kitchen with her late night orange juice, freshly showered and in a robe. She stopped when she saw Chuck. "Hey- you just get in?"

Chuck put his arm over his face in reply.

"What took so long? Were you at Blair's?"

"I wish," He said, his voice muffled by his arm, "My dad hired a new PR intern. Guess who."

"Some hot model?" Serena grinned, sitting down on the couch with him.

"Georgina Sparks."

Serena's face went pale and then red with anger. "What?" She said through gritted teeth.

"My feelings exactly."

"Chuck, she is not allowed in this house or I am not responsible for my actions."

"Easy, tiger." Chuck said, sitting up and looking a little more awake. Having someone else just as outraged by Georgina's reappearance made him feel better.

"What are you going to tell Blair?" Serena asked, swinging her legs up on the couch.

Chuck's eyebrows went together. "I was thinking…maybe I should not tell her?"

"No, Chuck!" Serena said, slapping his hand.

"Ow! What? It'll just make her mad, and I didn't do anything wrong."

"Charles, Charles, Charles," Serena shook her head, sounding creepily like Lily, "Have you learned nothing from last year? Never try to hide the fact that Georgina Sparks is trying to ruin your life from your significant other! Remember me and Dan?"

"Maybe you're right." Chuck said moodily.

"_Tell her_, Chuck. Believe me, just get it over with. Rip off the Band-Aid. Better her finding out from you than some creepy crazy reveal that Georgina would cook up to be as hurtful as possible!"

"Serena, get a hold of yourself." Chuck looked a little terrified.

Serena grabbed him by the shoulders. "Tell her _now_. I am not letting that evil psycho bitch do this to you and B."

"I can't call Blair now. It's two in the morning. She's never up this late on school nights."

"That's true," Serena patted his arm, "I'm going to bed. Even though, thanks to your wonderful news, I'm going to have nightmares."

"At least you didn't have to watch Georgina Sparks make sex eyes at my father for three hours." Chuck groaned, getting up as well.

"Ugh! Stop talking!" Serena covered her ears as they walked up the stairs.

--

Chuck pulled his books out of his locker, barely awake after not sleeping for the second night in the row. The few feverish moments he had fallen asleep he remembered vague dreams of Blair crying hysterically soap opera style (something the real Blair would _never_ do, which had always been something Chuck had liked about her) while Georgina did a pretty spectacular evil laugh in the background. It had all been very weird.

Suddenly, his locker door was slammed shut by a hand wearing a small ruby ring. "What, you're not taking my calls now?"

Chuck sighed, turning around to face an outraged Blair. "Morning, Blair."

"What the hell, Chuck?" She demanded, hands on her hips.

"Calm down. The meeting with my dad went late, and I didn't get home until two in the morning. I didn't want to wake you up."

"Oh. Well, you could have at least texted me." She said, still annoyed.

"I should have. Sorry." Chuck said, suddenly understanding why Nate had always told him it was stressful dating Blair.

"Whatever, it's fine. Just don't do it again," She relented, putting her arm through his as they walked down the hallway, "So I take it things went well?"

Chuck remembered Serena's warning, and took a deep breath. Come on, Bass. Honesty, best policy, all that. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you."

Blair turned to look at him, alarmed. "Okay, spill. You're all pale and weird and shaky. Did you do drugs or something?"

"No, but my father and I had a very interesting dinner guest And by interesting I mean awful."

"The new PR intern? Who was it?"

"Don't freak out."

"You're the one freaking me out! Who?"

"Georgina Sparks."

Blair rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Chuck."

"I'm serious."

"Georgina's in reform school far, far away. I banished her. Remember?"

"I do. But she's back. Apparently they let her off early for good behavior, and her parents thought an internship program would be a good way for her to get back on track."

Blair stopped walking, still holding his arm. He turned to look at her.

"You're serious." She said, searching his eyes for a sign this was some bizarre Chuck Bass game.

"I am. It's not like you'll ever have to see her. And she'll probably mess it up and get fired in a week or so."

"Not until she gets what she wants." Blair said miserably.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't be stupid, Chuck! She was almost as obsessed with you as she was with Serena."

"That's not true."

"Serena told me it was! Sophomore year. She said Georgina would never shut up about you."

"That was a long time ago."

"But it was just one-sided, right? Nothing's actually happened between you two after that disturbingly precocious deflowering at Nate's sixth grade party, right?"

Chuck wished Serena was here to tell him if it was a good idea to lie this time. But Blair knew him too well, and her eyes widened with horror when he stayed silent.

"Gross, Chuck! You and Georgina?"

"It was nothing. Less than nothing."

"What does that mean?"

Suddenly the bell rang for class. Chuck sighed. "Can we talk about this later?"

Blair was still reeling, and didn't respond.

"Blair?"

She snapped out of it. "Fine. Meet me for lunch in the courtyard."

"I will."

They had that awkward moment of the newly-dating where you have no idea how to leave each other, on top of the fact that Blair had just discovered her boyfriend had been touched by an evil even worse than herself.

"So…bye." Blair said, going to kiss his cheek just as Chuck leaned forward to do the same.

They bumped heads hard, and parted ways with an awkward wave (Blair) and a nervous laugh (Chuck).

Blair watched him go, his arms partly visible under the rolled sleeves of his black pinstriped shirt. She couldn't stop picturing those arms around Georgina's long body, her perfect thin legs wrapped around him as they…

She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling fat and disgusting and not really blaming Chuck if he wanted to leave her for someone better. An old familiar compulsion was making her hands shake, and she could almost taste the oatmeal she'd eaten for breakfast in the back of her throat as she raced for the bathroom.

--

Serena fixed her lipgloss in the Constance bathroom. The bell had rung for class a few minutes ago, but it was just Art. Her hippy-dippy teacher never cared that she was a little left. Finally satisfied with her appearance, she went into an empty stall to pee before class. Just as closed the stall door, the bathroom door banged open and Serena saw a familiar pair of flats in the stall next to hers as Blair leaned over the toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach.

The horrible gagging noise that came when Blair stuck her finger down her throat made Serena's stomach hurt. She sat on the toilet for a moment, considering what to do. Blair would be furious if she knew Serena was here- they still weren't speaking.

But she couldn't stop herself.

"Blair?" Serena said softly, walking out of the stall.

No answer.

"B, come on. It's just me."

Blair finally opened the stall door, looking furious. "Why aren't you in class?" She said, wiping the tears spilling from her eyes with a wad of toilet paper.

"Why are you doing this again?" Serena asked sadly.

"I'm not doing anything! I just ate my breakfast too fast this morning, and I felt nauseous."

"B…"

Blair pushed her lips together hard, digging through her purse for gum. "Georgina's back." She said, not looking at Serena.

"I heard." Serena said, wanting to reach out and hug her but knowing she couldn't.

"She'll ruin everything." Blair said, her voice trembling.

"With you and Chuck?"

"Did you know they had a thing sophomore year?" Blair said, outraged.

"Yeah. Georgina told me. I wouldn't be worried though- I don't think it was an actual thing, it was more just friends-with-benefits."

"How comforting."

"Blair, think about it! He could have made her his girlfriend. And he didn't. You're the first girl he's ever cared enough to even have a second date with, let alone a relationship. And Georgina told me differently, but I always got the impression he broke things off with them because he just lost interest."

"Really?"

"Yes. Chuck was so freaked out to tell you she was back, but he did. He's not trying to hide anything."

Blair leaned against the sink. "That's true."

"And even if she did come back for him, that doesn't mean anything will happen."

Blair looked up at her, her eyes still watering from throwing up. "Just picturing them together…"

"I know." Serena said.

They both realized that Serena didn't have to imagine how Blair must be feeling- she had lived it just a few months ago.

"I just never thought you and Dan would break up. I mean, you know I don't like him, but you were so happy together. And she managed to destroy that, so who knows what she's capable of? She's the only person that I can't outmaneuver for sure."

Serena crossed to Blair, taking her hand. "Then let me help you. Don't lock yourself in bathrooms and make yourself sick- stand up with me and Chuck and we'll take her down. We should have worked together against her from the beginning last time. I should have asked you to help me."

Blair looked at Serena, remembering she was supposed to be furious with her once best friend. But she didn't feel anything but relieved Serena was there. Serena had always been a calming presence on Blair, and calming presences were in very short supply at the moment.

"S…you're right. I need you with me on this."

"I'm so sorry about everything I said after the fashion show. I was being a terrible friend." Serena said, never one to be ashamed of begging for forgiveness.

"Truce?" Blair said, looking down at their clasped hands.

Serena hugged her hard. "Truce."

Blair laughed as they broke apart.

"What?" Serena asked.

"I just can't believe you said "take her down." You sounded like me."

"Well, I can't live with one evil plotter and be best friends with the other and not have it rub off on me a little." Serena grinned.

"I'm so proud." Blair said, examining her slightly smudged eye make-up in the mirror.

Serena stood next to her, still looking worried. "Don't do this again, B. Please."

"Fight with you or throw up?"

"Both."

"I don't want to do either ever again." Blair said, a little too flippantly to assuage Serena's worries. She went on, turning to look at Serena. "And I have an appointment with my doctor coming up next Friday- just my little bi-monthly check-in. I'll talk to him about today."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Serena offered.

"You would do that?"

"Of course."

"That'd be great," Blair said, touched but as usual trying to get emotional moments over with as quickly as possible, "Who knows- maybe by then, we'll already have sent Georgina packing."

"We can dream, right?" Serena said, taking her arm as they walked out of the bathroom, "Come on. We have clay to sculpt, darling." She said in a hilarious mock-artiste accent.

"Sounds fabulous, _mon cherie_." Blair laughed, and anyone watching them walk down the hall would never have known they had gone three weeks without speaking.

**Aww! It always just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when B and S make nice—how about you, readers? Are you as happy as me to see these frenemies together again? And will the joint forces of B, S, and C be enough to tackle the formidable Georgina? Will C be able to stay in :gulp: a real relationship when temptation is lurking around every corner in her trademark leather leggings? **

**Only time (and me) will tell…until next time! You know you love me! XOXO Gossip Girl.**

A/N- Reviews are love!


	9. A Hot Female Sherlock Holmes

**A/N- Hope everyone had an awesome Halloween! Enjoy and review if you please!**

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Nine**

**Brrr! The winter chill has finally taken over our fair city, and I'm all for bundling up in that fabulous pea coat you've been storing in your closet for just such a day and sipping down some salted caramel hot chocolate. Yum. **

**Of course, that's not the only way to keep the winter doldrums away…just ask B and C. They paired up for the legendarily tough AP Economics final project earlier this week, but a little birdy tells me these two aren't learning so much about fiscal responsibility or aggregate supply in their 'study sessions.' How are you supposed to concentrate on a failing economy when a burgeoning romance is so much more fun? And boyfriends are usually better at keeping you warm than an Economics book, right B? **

"Ow." Chuck protested, shifting around on the bed.

"What?" Blair asked a little breathlessly.

"I think I'm on your phone."

She sighed, and slid her hand under his back, digging her phone out from under the covers and tossing it carelessly on the ground. "Now where were we?"

Chuck and Blair had spent a lazy Wednesday afternoon in her room supposedly working on an Economics project they had partnered up for earlier in the week, but had not so surprisingly ended up doing much more making out than studying.

It was weird- the whole actually being in a relationship thing made this all so much less stressful. Chuck had never just kissed a girl this long before without expecting it to lead somewhere, but this really was nice. No pressure, no expectations- just him and Blair. He knew his reputation would be completely destroyed if he ever said this out loud, but he could just kiss her all day.

And Blair had never just kissed like this without worrying if she was taking things too fast or too slow or whether or not she should let him do this or that—every makeout session with Nate had always been such a mindfuck. Was this the time it was actually going to end in sex? Would Nate think she was easy if she let him go to second base? Did he think she was a good kisser? Better than Serena? And so on and so on. But Blair's mind went blissfully blank whenever she and Chuck were like this, and she was fine just enjoying the silence.

Besides, it was turning into a dark and cold November night outside and it was so warm here with a fire burning in her fireplace, wrapped up in each other. Blair was wearing a long white cashmere sweater and nothing else. The soft material felt like heaven against Chuck's chest as she kissed his neck.

"Hey, B?" He murmured, his hands sliding up her back.

"What, sweetie?" She murmured, propped herself up on her elbows, gently brushing his bangs off his forehead.

Chuck looked into her dark brown eyes staring right into his, and felt a momentary shock as he realized he recognized this look. The kind of dreamy, adoring eyes he had always seen when she had looked at Nate, before any of this, before Chuck and Blair had been anything but friends with a penchant for plotting, before they had ripped each other apart and put each other back together again, before he would have ever thought it was possible to be in Blair Waldorf's room, her laying on top of him and looking at him like he was the best thing she'd ever seen.

It was just too surreal. His hands tightened on her back, willing this not to end. This kept happening these past few weeks. Whenever things felt this good, this real, Chuck couldn't quite shake off the fear that they'd all fall apart the moment he let go of her. It was terrifying and awful and wonderful and he was beginning to understand why people were always complaining about being in love.

"I love you." He said, still getting used to how those words felt coming out of his mouth.

"I love you, too." She said, no hesitation, still stroking his hair.

"Your birthday's next week."

"I'm aware." She smiled.

"Do you want to open your present early?"

She smiled. "Depends. Do you really think you can top last year?"

"I know I can." Chuck scoffed.

"Really?" Her hands went to his belt, "Because that was the first time I ever--"

"I know. I don't mean that. I mean, we already know I can give you…that."

"True." She said, feeling a hot, pleasant flush spread through her as she remembered his hands going under the layers of black tulle of her birthday dress last year, feeling the heavy weight of the diamond necklace at her throat as she kissed him hard and forgot all about Nate and Serena and everything that wasn't Chuck.

"I meant your actual present."

"You already got me something?'

"Of course. And it'll be better if you open it now."

Blair bit her lip as if this was an actually hard decision. "Oh, okay. You convinced me." She got off of him as he went to his book bag and pulled out an enevelope.

"Aww, did you write me a love letter?" She giggled.

\

"Just open it." Chuck sat next to her on the bed, handing her the envelope.

She tore into it like a kid on Christmas, opening the letter. She read it quickly, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Paris? Next weekend?"

"If you're interested. My dad wants me to go up there anyway, check out some of the more famous burlesques in the Montemartre district for inspiration for the Victrola expansion. He said we could take the jet—leave Friday afternoon and be back late Sunday. What do you think?"

Blair looked down at the little itinerary Chuck had made up, excited but apprehensive. "Would…would it just be us?"

They both heard her unspoken question. _Would Georgina be joining them?_

Chuck took her hands. "Just us. Absolutely. I'd have to get some work done while we were there, but I'm sure you could find something to keep you occupied."

"One of the best shopping cities in the world? I'm sure I could manage." She smiled a little weakly.

"You don't want to go." Chuck ventured a little sadly.

"No, no, I do! I just…don't stand me up this time." She said, trying to sound like she was joking but failing.

"Blair--"

"Promise me you won't." She said, serious now.

"I promise."

She believed him, squeezing his hands. "Then, Chuck Bass, I would love to go to Paris with you."

"Happy early birthday, baby." He kissed her.

She pulled him back on top of her, and just as his hand slid up her bare leg, the door to her bedroom opened. It was her mother, looking harried as usual. Eleanor stopped dead when she saw them.

Blair and Chuck quickly and awkwardly disentangled themselves, sitting up like nothing was going on and trying to look as innocent as possible. Which is pretty difficult when a) you're Chuck and Blair, and b) one of you isn't wearing any pants.

"H-Hey, mom." Blair said, pulling her blue throw blanket over her legs.

Eleanor was momentarily speechless.

"Hello, Mrs. Waldorf." Chuck said, trying his very best to sound like what a nice boy you would want your daughter to date would sound like.

"Chuck. Blair. Sorry, I…I had no idea. Dorota said you two were studying, I just thought—I didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" Blair blinked, feigning confusion.

Apparently delusion was a common theme in the Waldorf family, because Blair and Eleanor reached a silent agreement with only a glance to not act like anything strange had just happened. Chuck watched the two of them, a little terrified and a little fascinated.

"Never mind. I was just checking to see if you'd be all right for dinner by yourself tonight. One of my buyers just got in and called to see if we could squeeze in a late night meeting. I know we usually eat together Wednesdays, but--"

"That's fine, mom." Blair said.

"Blair can eat with us." Chuck offered, pretty proud of himself when Eleanor smiled at him gratefully. This impressing the parents thing wasn't that hard.

"Wonderful. Thank you."

_Thank you for assuaging my guilt about constantly neglecting my daughter_, Blair thought a little spitefully. Whatever. She'd rather eat with Chuck and Serena anyway.

An uncomfortable silence fell. "Shouldn't you get going?" Blair finally said.

Eleanor made a show of checking her watch. "You're right. I'll see you tomorrow."

Blair gave her mother a little wave, and Eleanor hightailed it out of there as fast as she could. She kicked the blanket off her legs as soon as the door closed, shaking her head. "Sorry. Anyway…" She went to kiss him.

Chuck stopped her. "You still haven't told your mom about us?"

"I don't tell my mom anything, Chuck." Blair laughed.

"But I mean, it's been awhile…"

"Have you told your father about us?" She countered.

"Yes. He was thrilled. My whole family wants to throw you a party for lowering yourself to date me. They all seem to think you're my only hope of ever becoming a decent person."

"Stop talking about yourself like that." Blair sighed.

"I'm just telling you what they thought. Everyone's always thrilled that you're dating me, but no one ever seems as excited that I'm dating you."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Forget it."

"Chuck--"

"Let me call Lily and tell her to expect us for dinner." Chuck said, getting up off the bed and finding his phone.

"Okay." Blair said.

Now that the mood was sufficiently ruined, she stepped back into her skinny dark jeans and brushed her hair while Chuck was on the phone.

--

"Paris, B? How cool!" Serena squealed, fluffing out her still damp hair as Blair flipped through a magazine on her bed.

Chuck had gone to help Eric with some kind of boyfriend troubles, and Blair had headed up to Serena's room while she got ready for dinner. Dinner was a very formal affair at the Bass-Van der Woodsen home, and all of five of them always dressed to the nines. Blair started to wish she had put on a skirt and tights or something.

"I know. It should be fun."

"Why do you have weird voice?" Serena looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

Blair made a face. "Whoregina. You know if she catches wind of this, she'll weasel her way into coming along somehow."

"That would kind of put a damper on the romantic weekend." Serena agreed sympathetically.

"I mean, technically, she's working on the project too. It would make sense for her to go." Blair said, looking a little sick.

"But he said she's not. And I will personally handcuff her to a subway bench or something if needed. She's not ruining this for you."

"Thanks, S." Blair grinned.

Serena smiled happily. "Is it wrong that the thought of handcuffing her and leaving her in a dirty subway station gives me so much joy?"

"Nope. Handcuff away. Take pictures. Please."

They laughed together as Serena stepped into sky-high red heels that clashed in a cool way with her purple dress.

--

Chuck left Eric, shaking his head in a big-brotherly kind of way. It was a part he was very fond of playing, and it was becoming more and more natural to him. Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

What the hell? Practically everyone he knew was here. Nate, maybe?

He flipped it open. Georgina's name in his inbox. Sighing, he opened the message.

_We need to talk._

Chuck hit reply, typing _No thanks. Already have plans._

She wrote back almost as quickly, and Chuck nearly dropped the phone.

_It's about your mother. _

--

**Well, well. Looks like clever G has learned that the only currency that really matters in the Upper East Side is information. Is it a bluff? A desperate attempt to win back the Bass? Or could our favorite villainess have really stumbled upon the answer to one of the biggest questions in life—what kind of woman could have spawned Chuck Bass? And what really happened to the original Mrs. Bass? I feel like Sherlock Holmes! A hot female version, that is. Sounds like the game's afoot, dear readers—and B's man is going to have to choose between the search for the truth and his favorite WASP princess. Happy almost birthday, B—hope your Prince Charming doesn't let you down! **

**At least you know I'll never let you down. And you know you love me for it. Until next time- XOXO Gossip Girl. **

**A/N- Reviews are lovely! Thanks for reading!**


	10. Little Homicidal B

A/N- Hope everyone is having a great November! Enjoy!

**Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Ten**

**Spotted: Chuck Bass and Georgina Sparks making a Starbucks run in the late hours on Monday night. Being up at such an ungodly time makes sense for these two sinners, but what about B? It's nearly her birthday weekend, which means her second attempt at getting C on a plane bound for Europe. Any bets on how things will go down this time? Will Georgina's wicked ways ruin my new favorite couple's trip to the city of love?**

**Doesn't look like B's staying home pining for C though- my sources say B and S were spotted out with Serena's new flame Aaron, meeting up with his friends from RISD. Cute, if you can stand smoker breath and artful scruff. Yuck. I'll pass- but will B?**

Georgina took a long sip from her Starbucks coffee (black, of course), watching Chuck.

"What?" He looked up from the spreadsheets he was working on, annoyed.

"I didn't say anything." She smirked.

"It's not going to work." He shook his head.

"You're not even curious?"

"No. My mother's dead. She has been for seventeen years. You're bluffing."

Chuck had never replied to her ominous text message about his mother, and hadn't contacted her the whole weekend. It was now Monday night, and still, not even the hint of a question about it.

"If you say so." Georgina shrugged, rifling through the photo shoots of the Victrola dancers Bart had professionally had done this past weekend. They were supposed to pick the best one for _New York_ magazine, who was interested in doing a feature on the place.

Georgina slid one of the pictures over the spreadsheet Chuck was busy highlighting. "What about this one?"

It was a picture of Leslie, a new tall blond girl who had the distinction of being the only Victrola dancer who could do a dance with a flaming hula hoop. The picture showed Leslie on her back, legs spread in a V, with the hula hoop twirling around her ankle.

"It's nice." Chuck approved.

"She's Leslie, right?"

"Right."

"You fucked her yet?"

Chuck sighed. "I told you. I'm with Blair."

Georgina smirked. "Come on, Bass. You can drop the scandalized act. The Victrola girls have been telling me some pretty interesting stories about you."

"Ancient history, G. Don't get your hopes up."

"Right. Chuck Bass, a one-woman man. It keeps slipping my mind."

"Well, as slippery as your mind is, can we try and focus? I want to get out of here."

"Fine. Sorry. Work, work, work." Georgina saluted him, sliding the picture of Leslie back to her side of the table.

Chuck rubbed his eyes, feeling exhausted. His father was practically working them to the bone on this. But Friday was only four days away…a whole weekend, just him and Blair, thousands of miles away from Bart and Georgina and school. He sighed, feeling better.

"Can you hand me my purse?" Georgina cut into his thoughts.

Chuck grabbed her studded black bag, pushing it across the table.

"Thanks. My hair is driving me crazy." She got out a rubber band and pulled her mass of dark curls back into a messy bun, stretching her arms.

Chuck looked at her long, pale neck that was suddenly exposed. He had always had a thing about girls' necks. There was just something about them that was so delicate and feminine. Strange to think about anything belonging to Georgina being delicate.

Strange to think about Georgina at all, he thought, revolted with himself. Gross. Chuck's first reaction with all women was to find something sexually appealing about them. And then usually sleep with them.

But not anymore, he told himself firmly.

"You always want what you can't have." She said suddenly.

He looked up at her, alarmed. "Excuse me?"

"That should be the angle we take with the new burlesque club. Forbidden desire. You know, Victrola's all about escapism, but maybe the new place could be about everything taboo and not allowed. Make it look like an old speakeasy from the 20's…like an anti-prohibition theme."

"That does sound interesting." Chuck narrowed his eyes, imagining it.

"We could call it "Gatsby." Or something like that."

"That's a great book."

"Oh, I forgot. You always actually read the stuff we were assigned for class." Georgina grinned.

"I like reading." Chuck shrugged.

"Ugh. You're getting more boring by the second, Bass," She grimaced, flipping open her phone to read a new text message.

"Who's that? Your dealer?"

She laughed. "No. Just some friends. Are you doing anything this weekend? We were all going to drive-"

"Georgina. I don't know how much clearer I can make this. You and I…we're not friends. We're not going to hang out on weekends. I just work with you."

"You have something better to do?"

"Again, none of your business."

"Like go to Paris with Blair?"

He set down his pen, a little awed. "How the hell did you know that?"

"I have my ways, Chuck."

"Why do you care what I do on the weekends?"

"Oh, I just like knowing stuff," She said, raising one perfectly arched eyebrow, "So you and Blair- when's the wedding?"

"What do you mean?"

"Going to Paris together? Come on. It's Blair. She's probably had some crazy little fantasy about a guy taking her there since she was born.

"I see what you're doing." Chuck shook his head.

"What am I doing?" She leaned across the table, closer to him.

"Trying to make me think taking Blair to Paris is a bad idea. It's not going to work. I want to be with her. I…"

"_Love_ her? Well, why wouldn't you? Neurotic bulimics are just so darn fun."

Chuck's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Oh, you didn't know about Blair's little 'problem?' I thought everyone did." Georgina said dismissively.

"Blair is not bulimic." Chuck said, confused.

"Sure she is."

"No, she isn't."

"Oh, okay. Sorry. Didn't mean to break your little dream-girl bubble. Keep thinking she's perfect and undamaged if you want." Georgina went back to her photos.

"Who told you she was?" Chuck demanded.

"Serena. She kind of swore me to secrecy, but now that you and Blair are practically picking out china patterns…"

"Stop saying that!" Chuck said, his head spinning.

Georgina looked up, her dark blue eyes flashing with anger. "Or what?"

They were interrupted by the sound of an elevator door opening, and the familiar sound of Blair and Serena's laughter.

"Chuck! We come bearing gifts-" Serena called, stepping into the conference room at Bart's office Chuck and Georgina were using.

Serena stopped dead when she saw Georgina, her eyes losing all life.

"Hey, Serena!" Georgina said, as if running into her oldest, best friend shopping or something.

Serena's jaw clenched. She turned to Blair. "B, I'm just going to wait outside."

"That's fine." Blair said, obviously not very pleased Georgina was there either.

Chuck got up, kissing Blair on the cheek. "Hey, beautiful. This is a surprise."

"I thought you might be lonely but…obviously not." Blair said, looking at Georgina who wasn't even trying to disguise the fact she was watching Blair and Chuck's interaction.

"Don't worry, B. I'm keeping him company." Georgina said, holding the pictures of the Victrola girls like they were a hand of cards.

Blair ignored her, turning back to Chuck and handing him the plastic bag Serena had come in with. "Serena and I got Chinese with Aaron and his friends, and we brought you the left-overs. I thought you might be hungry after working so late."

Georgina smirked. And Chuck didn't think they acted like an old married couple already?

"That was nice of you." He took it gratefully, realizing his stomach was growling.

"It does happen occasionally." She smiled.

"So Aaron and his friends, huh? Guy friends?" Chuck crossed his arms.

"Mostly."

"I'm sure they loved you."

"Some of them were pretty cute." She smiled mischievously.

"Should I be worried?"

She looked at him with narrowed eyes, and they both heard her unspoken question without her even looking at Georgina.

_Should I? _

Georgina was watching them calmly.

"Can you give us a minute?" Chuck said to Georgina, stating the obvious.

"Oh, just pretend I'm not here." She waved her hand flippantly.

They looked back at each other, annoyed. Blair and Chuck were many things, but bad-mannered was not one of them. They didn't understand people who just chose to have bad social graces.

"Call me whenever you get done?" Blair sighed, giving up on getting a second alone with him.

"It might be late."

"I don't care. I have to tell you something about--" She almost said 'this weekend' but stopped herself, "—our project."

"Okay. I will."

Blair shot one more annoyed look at Georgina, who seemed completely nonplussed by their displeasure with her presence. What a bitch.

"Chuck and I really have a lot of work to get done." Georgina said with a wicked little smile.

Fine. Blair smiled back, big and fake. "Oh, I'm sorry. You're right. I'll just get going," She held her hands up like a surrender, "Chuck? Just one more thing."

"What?" He turned to her.

Blair grabbed him, kissing him hard and long enough to leave Chuck staggered when she broke away. Even Georgina looked a little taken aback—not an easy reaction to get out of her.

"Bye, Chuck." Blair patted his arm, giving Georgina a little wave and leaving.

"Blair." He stammered in lieu of an actual coherent response.

She walked out of the room, smirking. She found Serena in the hallway, shaking her head.

"What was that, B?"

"Simple, S. After that kiss, that little witch will be the last thing he'll be thinking about tonight." Blair said, very satisfied with herself as she linked her arm through her Serena's.

"Or you just got him really turned on to go hang out with Georgina Sparks." Serena pointed out.

Blair looked at her friend, alarmed. "You're right. I should not plot this quickly! I do not think things through!"

Serena laughed. "I was just kidding. I think you're fine."

"_Chuck and I really have a lot of work to get done_," Blair imitated Georgina, making a face, "What work? Ugh. I think if I murdered her, the jury couldn't convict."

"Ah, yes. The old "trying-to-steal-my-boyfriend" loophole." Serena giggled.

"You know I could sell it."

"I don't have a doubt in my mind. Just keep telling yourself, B- four more days til Paris. Four more days til Paris." Serena chanted it like a mantra as they got on the elevator.

Blair closed her eyes, trying to find her inner lady who had class and poise and didn't fantasize about rending Georgina limb from limb. "You're right. What would Audrey do?"

"There you go," Serena put her arm around Blair proudly, "My little B's all grown up."

"Your little B is still feeling homicidal. Let's go before I make you an accessory to my crimes."

"Being an accessory to your crimes is like my lot in life." Serena laughed.

"True." Blair grinned, checking her phone as it vibrated with a new text message.

It was from Chuck.

_I wish I was with you. Can't wait until Friday. _

Blair felt her cheeks grow hot. She could almost hear his voice in her ear.

Could this weekend just get here already?

**Agreed, B! Even those of us who aren't jetting to Paris with a billionaire on Friday are ready for this week to end- and it's only Monday. ::sigh:: But I guess B and all of us have just got to find some inner strength to wait it out.**

**Besides I should be thankful I don't have G breathing down my boyfriend's neck, spilling all the secrets of my past. Now that G's dropped the bulimia-bomb, will C dare to bring it up? And what does G really know about the elusive (and deceased?) original Mrs. Bass? Will Chuck ever cave to Georgina's devious and no doubt depraved wishes? Or will he actually get on the plane with B this time? Better blow out your candles and not tell anyone your birthday wish, B-- I've heard that makes them not come true…**

**You know I'll be watching. And telling all, of course. Until then…XOXO Gossip Girl.**

A/N- Reviews=love.


	11. The Great Chuck Bass

A/N- Hello all! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving—you know what I'm thankful for? That it looks like Blair and Chuck actually, you know, interact in this Monday's Gossip Girl! In celebration of that fact- my new chapter! Hope you enjoy…

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Eleven**

Blair stirred restlessly next to Serena, staring at her sleeping friend in disbelief. Serena had always had this ability to fall asleep minutes after her head hit the pillow, something that had simultaneously amazed and annoyed Blair.

Ever since they were kids, Blair would sleep over and within minutes of getting under the covers, Serena would be passed out, dead asleep, hands folded peacefully under one cheek. It was almost comically adorable. But it gave Blair no one to talk to. Blair had never been able to fall asleep quickly- her brain was always still racing with thoughts, dreams, plans when she got in bed at night.

Suddenly, she heard the door across the hall open and close. Chuck's room. Chuck was home. Her heart sped up like the giddy little teenager she despised still being. She hadn't seen him all day at school, and he had been at work after and hadn't been able to talk.

She got out of bed, putting on her pink silk robe over her black nightgown. What the hell. It's not like Serena would miss her.

"Sweet dreams, S." Blair said under her breath, opening the door.

Serena sighed slightly in her sleep, rolling onto her back, her long blonde hair spread out around her. Blair sighed. Annoyingly perfect, even in her sleep.

Whatever. Time for the one thing that always made her feel better, she thought with a small smile. Chuck.

--

Chuck loosened his tie, kicking off his shoes and collapsing onto his bed. He and Georgina had spent the last six hours helping the marketing team plan a huge party at Victrola thrown by _New York _magazine. It was going to happen the Tuesday after he got back from Paris, and honestly Chuck just did not care. He didn't feel like planning anything that required him to hang out more with Georgina, the Victrola girls, and his father's bloodthirsty employees. Ugh.

One more day and he'd be on a plane with Blair. He closed his eyes. Blair. He hadn't seen her all day. He could almost imagine her there with him, almost feel her leaning over him, her hands sliding up his outstretched arms…

"Only Chuck Bass would not be surprised by a girl entering his bedroom unannounced and molesting him."

He opened his eyes, momentarily shocked to see Blair smiling down at him. Had he lost his mind?

"Blair…what are you doing here?" He smiled, watching her take off her silk robe.

"I was sleeping over with Serena. And not in a "I'm-trying-to-seduce-Chuck" kind of way. For real this time." She grinned.

"And you just left poor Serena all by herself?" Chuck said, rubbing her soft bare arms.

"She's asleep," Blair kissed him softly.

"Lucky me." Chuck smiled.

"I missed you today." Blair murmured, kissing her way down the side of his face to his neck.

"I missed you too," Chuck caught her hands as they started to unbuckle his belt, "Blair, I don't know if I'll be very good company. I'm exhausted."

Blair looked up at him, her eyes sparkling wickedly. "Who said you have to do anything?"

Chuck closed his eyes, leaning his head back. Sometimes it really was good to be Chuck Bass.

--

Ridiculously early the next morning, Blair woke up to Chuck's alarm clock. She rubbed her eyes wearily, sitting up in bed. Chuck was at the foot of the bed, already perfectly groomed and dressed in a three piece gray pinstriped suit. He was adjusting his sleeves, one perfectly shined shoe crossed over his knee.

Blair looked at the clock, groaning. "Chuck, it's six o'clock in the morning. Why are we awake?"

"I have a morning meeting," Chuck clicked off the alarm, kissing her forehead, "Go back to sleep. I'm sorry, I forgot to turn it off."

"Do you always wake up this early?" She leaned back against his navy blue pillows.

"Usually. I have to get a lot of things done before school."

She stared at him, marveling at how calm and collected he always seemed even though he was juggling more things than the average mid-thirties businessman.

He stood up, surveying his reflection briefly.

"You look amazing. Get over yourself." Blair smiled sleepily.

Chuck crossed to her, gently touching her bare shoulder, "I still have to get some stuff together in here. Do you want to go to Serena's room? I don't want to keep you up."

Blair sighed, getting out of bed and letting Chuck put her robe around her shoulders. " So I'm banished?"

"Don't be so dramatic. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay." Blair smiled dreamily at him.

"I think I might start looking forward to you spending the night with Serena." Chuck smiled back.

"Yeah, I bet," She straightened his tie before walking off, "Bye, Chuck."

"Bye, Blair."

--

Serena had apparently not moved from the position Blair had left her in the night before.

Blair Waldorf and bed-hopping. Not her usual modus operandi, she thought with a smile. At least Serena set her alarm for a more reasonable hour. Nights with Chuck and mornings with Serena.

The whole concept of blended families was strangely growing on Blair.

Serena stirred slightly when Blair got under the covers.

"What's wrong, B?" She mumbled groggily.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep. Everything's wonderful." Blair said, smiling and meaning it.

One more day until Paris.

--

"How'd it go with the caterers?" Chuck asked, walking into the office where Georgina had spent most of the evening on the phone making party plans.

"_Tres bien_," Georgina winked at him, "You been practicing your French phrases, Bass?"

"I've been fluent since I was five,_ connasse_." Chuck snatched the food menu from her, surveying her choices.

She took his comment in stride, looking more impressed than insulted. "So are you like super excited about tomorrow with Blair?" Georgina clasped her hands together, talking in a Valley Girl voice.

"Stop being obnoxious." Chuck said blandly, "This all looks adequate," He said, signing off on the menu.

"The great Chuck Bass approves of my choices? God, I feel so validated!" Georgina took the menu back.

"What's gotten into you today? You're annoying me more than usual." Chuck finally did actually look at her.

"I don't know what you mean." Georgina shrugged.

"No, seriously. You look exhausted. Whatever did you get up to last night?" Chuck sat down, crossing one leg over the other.

"You're actually asking me questions about my life? I thought we weren't friends." Georgina looked at him intently, as if trying to figure out his new game.

""We're not friends. But when one of my father's employees shows up looking like Amy Winehouse, I'm allowed to ask questions."

Georgina sighed. She was paler than usual, and her eye make-up looked like she had just woken up and gone out with whatever was left over from last night.

"Your concern is touching, Bass. But I'm fine," She sat back in her chair, crossing her arms, "Well, well, well. Look at us. I'm clean and sober, you're headed to Paris with your girlfriend- the Georgina Sparks and Chuck Bass from two years ago wouldn't even recognize us. I think we toasted Blair's sixteenth birthday with cocaine and Cristal, right?"

Chuck's brow furrowed, looking a little sickened with himself. "I had forgotten about that. At the Regency with Trevor."

"My favorite dealer." She sighed in remembrance, "Despite Blair's best efforts to have the most boring party ever, that actually turned out to be a pretty good night."

"I guess." Chuck said, remembering very little about that night but remembering the crushing hangover the next morning very well.

"You were so fucked up I thought you were going to do Trevor instead of me." Georgina giggled.

"Too bad I didn't. Imagine the blackmail material." Chuck pointed out.

"True. Information is everything." Georgina said slyly.

"I suppose," Chuck put a copy of the menu in his book bag, checking his watch. Just past nine. Finally, he'd get to leave at a reasonable hour. He would have time to go home and pack for tomorrow, actually talk to Blair before midnight, finish those "Mad Men" DVDs with Eric and Serena—it was going to be a good night. "I think we're done here. Don't burn down the building while I'm gone."

"Got it," Georgina watched him head to the door, "Oh, Chuck? Just one more quick question."

He clenched his jaw. Of course. "What is it, Georgina?"

"Did you know your dad has a file with your mother's name on it in his office?"

"My dad has a file on everyone. Was that your big secret?"

"Why would he keep it here? There's something in it he doesn't want you to see."

Chuck tried to will himself to walk out the door, ignore her. But what if she wasn't bluffing? If the file really existed, that was very strange.

"What were you doing in my father's files?" He stalled.

"I was showing him some of our work last week, and he had to step out to handle some kind of PR emergency. I think one of the secretaries tried to kill herself in the third floor bathroom or something."

"Oh, Jennifer. I told father that the crazy-hot scale does not apply to the truly emotionally unstable." Chuck shook his head.

"Right. Well, anyway, I was there by myself for a little while and I just started…looking around."

Chuck at least had the decency to look affronted.

"Please, Bass. You would have done the exact same thing. He had left a drawer open- something he must have been doing right as I came in. And I saw a file with your mother's name on it. There were two letters inside. One was to you. I couldn't open it, because he came back right after I saw the letters. I played it off and close the drawer, and he was none the wiser." Georgina looked ridiculously pleased with herself.

"So why are you telling me this?"

"Don't you want to know what the letter says? Don't you want to know what he's been hiding from you all these years? What your mother tried to tell you?"

_Yes. Of course I want to know. _

Chuck didn't say anything for a long moment.

"I mean, your dad already went home for the night. And you have keys to his office, right?"

"Yes." Chuck said so quietly she could barely hear him.

"So what's stopping you?" Georgina put her hand on his arm.

Chuck breathed in deeply, refusing to look at her. "Nothing. Let's go."

--

It took a couple of tries, but finally the date of Bart's wedding anniversary with Chuck's late mother opened the drawer. Georgina watched him thumb through the files quickly, almost overcome with excitement.

If this didn't ruin his trip, she didn't have a bigger gun to whip out. It had to work. A family scandal over a decade old? A surprise sibling? A shameful past as a hooker? This was a woman unburdening herself before death. The possibilities were endless.

Chuck finally located the file marked AVA BASS. Just as Georgina had said, there were two letters inside, one envelope reading BART and the other reading CHARLES in an oddly charming straightforward, no frills print. There were also pictures of Bart and Ava in the folder. His father looked so young and untroubled that Chuck hardly recognized him. His mother's slanting dark eyes and mass of dark hair were so reminiscent of her son that it was almost eerie looking at her.

He took the letter addressed to him, breaking the seal and taking out the aged piece of paper covered front and back in that same blocky print.

Chuck started to read, and Georgina literally had to press her lips together to stop from asking questions. His expression never changed as he read, and the only movement he made was to flip the letter over halfway through.

When he finished, he refolded it and put it back in the envelope, sliding the envelope into his suit jacket. He was staring so intently at the ground that Georgina couldn't tell if he was angry, happy, sad—anything.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Chuck? What did she say?"

His eyes slowly slid up to hers, and Georgina saw that although his eyes were glassy, his expression was still unchanged.

"Oh, God…what is it?" She grabbed his arms, pulling him closer to her.

Chuck looked like he was going to lean into her embrace for a half-second, but then he looked her in the eyes, shaking his head, almost as if he had just remembered who she was.

"You were wrong." Chuck said, his voice choked.

"About what?"

"It wasn't some big dark secret. Not everyone is as evil and soulless as you'd like to think, Georgina," Chuck stepped away from her, holding up the letter, "My mother loved me. She loved my father. That's all she wanted me to know. No huge scandal. No blame or disappointment. Just love. The one thing you could never understand. You thought this was going to ruin everything for me. But my mother is proof that you never know how much time you have. And I'm not wasting another second of it here with you."

"Oh, spare me the Beatles pop psychology bullshit, Chuck!" Georgina said, panicking.

"Who would write you a letter, Georgina? Who would be desperate to tell you they loved you before they died?"

"Just forget it, Chuck. If I had known this was going to be so dull, I would never have told you!" Georgina said.

"You have _no one_. That's why you keep running back to Serena, running back to me—we were your last hope of fooling yourself into believing people care. Well, here's the cold truth. Until you make yourself someone worth caring about it, no one will."

"Shut up!" Georgina was about to cry.

"You've alienated everyone and lost everything- it's time for you to go. It's time to start over, if you're not too much of a coward."

"Oh, now you're the expert on feelings? I can't wait until Blair sees the real you and you ruin everything!" Georgina shot back, her voice shaking.

Chuck looked at her calmly, putting the letter back into his jacket and replacing the file in the drawer.

"I feel sorry for you, Georgina. I really do."

"I don't want your fucking _pity_!" She shrieked, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Then stop being so pathetic." Chuck shrugged, turning and walking out of the office without another word.

--

Blair turned off her laptop, about to go get ready for bed.

"Miss Blair? Mr. Chuck to see you!" Dorota called up the stairs.

Blair stood up, looking at herself in the mirror. She was in an oversized gray knit sweater and tights, her hair in a ponytail and all her make-up had worn off. Yikes. Well, no time to look any better. Chuck would just have to deal with a little less fabulous version of Blair. She had plenty of sexy lingerie for Paris that would obliterate this image from his mind. She turned to face him as he opened the door.

"I wish you would have called, I could have-" She stopped dead when she saw his face as he closed the door behind him.

His eyes were red-rimmed, his hands shoved into his pockets, his whole body hunched. Blair crossed to him immediately, taking him in her arms. "Sweetie, what is it?"

To her surprise, he hugged her back just as tightly, his shoulders starting to shake with hard, shuddering spasms. He was crying, the sudden proximity of his mother—the pictures, her handwriting, her sense of humor, the fact that she loved him so unquestionably and had never even met him—making him feel like he had gotten her back and then lost her again, just as cruelly.

Blair didn't ask any more questions, just led him over to her bed and held him until he was exhausted and fell asleep, his head on her shoulder, one arm sprawled out carelessly across her stomach, the other holding her hand, their fingers tightly interlaced.

--

**Well, well. The great Chuck Bass and the indomitable Queen B acting like…human beings, just as broken and frightened as the rest of us. **

**We (and okay, me) are guilty of always defining people with simple labels. Good. Bad. Nice. Evil. But maybe it's never that simple. Maybe all Georgina's been fighting for so hard is someone who really, truly cares. Maybe it's not that strange that Chuck needed Blair when he couldn't hold himself up any longer. Maybe our deliciously conniving B is capable of kindness none of us would have suspected. Maybe all we do need is love. **

**Or maybe I'm just a sap. You decide. Until next time…XOXO Gossip Girl.**

A/N- Next time- the last chapter! I may do an epilogue too if ya'll want…I love reviews! Thanks for reading!


	12. I Thought You Were the Nice One

A/N- Here we are guys! The last chapter! I am so incredibly grateful to all of you who have stuck with this from the beginning or found it along the way! Your reviews keep me writing and your support has been great! I will definitely do an epilogue if ya'll want one- since it looks like we're not getting a happy ending for B/C on the show for awhile, at least we have fanfiction, right? Oh, and thanks to the reviewer who told me about Chuck's mom being Misty Bass- I actually have read some of the books, but BookChuck and ShowChuck have so many differences that I thought it would be okay to take some artistic license.

Thanks for everything, and I hope you enjoy!

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Chapter Twelve**

Blair woke up the next morning to find Chuck redoing his tie while looking in her bedroom mirror, his clothes slightly wrinkled from sleeping next to her fully clothed. She smiled drowsily- there was just something really attractive about Chuck looking slightly messy.

"You running out on me?" She said, nearly making Chuck jump out of his skin.

"Hey. I didn't want to wake you up." Chuck recovered, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Blair put her legs across his lap.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly, scooting down closer to him.

"I'm fine." He said flippantly. She could tell he was embarrassed about crying in front of her last night.

"Chuck…"

"Look, I'm sorry."

She sighed. "Why are you apologizing?"

He stared at the ground. "I don't know."

"You can talk to me."

"I know. I just…"

She nodded, understanding. "Later?"

He looked up at her gratefully. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"Of course," She leaned back against the pillows, grinning, "Hey. You know what today is?"

Chuck finally cracked a smile. "Paris."

"Paris, baby!"

His face fell slightly. "I haven't even packed. Or showered."

"Why don't you go get ready and I'll tell Nate to get your assignments at school. We're leaving at noon anyway- it won't kill you to miss a morning."

"Good point. Do you want to just meet at the helipad at noon?"

Blair balked slightly. She didn't have such good memories of waiting there for Chuck alone.

"I'd rather go together."

Chuck's eyes narrowed slightly. "What, you still think I won't show up?"

"No! No, I don't think that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I just…this is stupid. Please don't make this into an argument."

"If you don't want to go--"

"Chuck, don't do that! Of course I want to go!" Blair said, annoyed with how much she sounded like a whiny little girl.

He rubbed his forehead, looking tired. Blair took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. You apologized for last summer. I forgave you. I believe that you'll be there if you say you will."

"I'll be there." He said without hesitation.

"Okay."

"I _will_." He sounded a little desperate, one hand stroking her slightly messy hair.

She kissed him, a chaste, brief kiss. "Then I'll see you later."

He nodded, getting up and leaving before he said anything else to mess up things.

--

"Bonjour, _mon frere_!" Serena practically bounded into Chuck's room, flopping down in his desk chair and watching him pack.

"You're in a good mood." Chuck couldn't help but smile, rolling up his dress socks.

"I am, Chuck, I really am. And I'm not even the one jetting to Paris in a couple hours! You want to go to school with me and Eric? We were just about to leave."

"I don't think I'm going to go- I still have a lot to do here."

"Okay, just offering. Hey- where were you last night?" Serena asked.

"Blair's."

"Ooh-la-oui!" Serena giggled suggestively.

"No, nothing like that." Chuck shook his head.

"Oh. Well, you two _are_ about to go to the most romantic city in the world…" Serena raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, that's true." Chuck smiled.

"Much to Georgina's chagrin, I'm sure. Let me guess- she's tried everything to get you not to go, right?"

"You could say that." Chuck said, his back to her as he zipped up his suit bags.

"What did she do?" Serena said, her voice losing some of its perk.

"It doesn't matter now. It didn't work. I'm going. So I guess she lost."

"I just hope she doesn't some pull some crazy stunt today."

"She's running out of time- we're leaving in like three hours." Chuck shrugged.

"I know. Just be careful—it is Georgina Sparks, after all. Google "ruthless" and you get her picture."

"Nothing could stop me from getting on that plane, Serena. Not this time."

Serena smiled. "I'm really proud of you, Chuck."

Chuck gave her an awkward little laugh, looking uncomfortable like he always did when people talked about emotions. "Thanks, Serena." He mumbled, going back to packing with his bag turned.

Serena didn't say anything for a moment. When Chuck turned back around, she jumped guiltily, examining her nails in a transparent attempt to look innocent.

"What were you just doing?" He asked suspiciously.

"Nothing! I better go—don't want to be late for school!" She was grinning mischievously as she got up and hugged him in her frenetic puppy way, a distinctively Serena mass of hair and boobs and glittery fabric pressed against him, "Have a fabulous time! I'll see you Sunday night?"

"I'll be here." Chuck said, feeling like he'd missed something.

Serena flounced out of the room looking inordinately proud of herself. Chuck looked around. Nothing seemed to be amiss.

Strange.

--

Georgina sat in her still mostly-empty apartment. She had never really bothered to fully unpack, and it always depressed her to be here. Bart had said she didn't have to bother coming into work today since Chuck was going to be gone all weekend, and so now she had absolutely nothing to do.

She flipped open her phone. 11:21. Chuck wasn't leaving until noon. She sighed heavily, lying on the cold floor in her bra and jeans, her hair still wet from a too-cold shower. Chuck Bass was leaving in forty minutes to go away with his girlfriend. What had the world come to? Some part of her felt like if he went on this trip, she lost.

If he went on this trip, the old Chuck Bass, the one that she had been with first, the one that had been her best and most constant partner in crime all those years ago, the one she had so shamefully and secretly loved with a bleeding heart no one even credited her with having, was gone forever. If he chose this trip with Blair, Georgina knew she didn't have a chance of ever getting back in.

But there had been that one moment last night, when he had looked up from his mother's letter, when he had almost turned to her. She had seen it in his eyes. Before he had said all those mean, hurtful things he couldn't have meant, there had been a moment. Maybe Blair hadn't completely won yet.

Ugh. Blair Waldorf. Georgina had never hated someone so much in her life. She had already taken Serena away. And now she got Chuck too? It just wasn't fair.

What could Chuck see in her? She was a neurotic, boring Upper East Side Stepford princess who thought she was better than everyone, and always had.

Chuck couldn't actually want to be with someone like Blair. Maybe he wanted out, but didn't know what to do. Maybe Georgina could help him.

She sat up, typing a text message.

_I'm sorry about last night. Can we talk?_

She selected Chuck's name, and pressed send. It was now 11:30.

Decision time, Bass.

A minute passed, and Georgina's phone buzzed with a new message with Chuck. Feeling a nervous little thrill, she opened it.

_I would love that. Where?_

Georgina nearly dropped the phone, her hands shaking slightly as she texted back.

_Café Fresco on 1__st__?_

He replied just as quickly.

_I'll be there in ten. _

Georgina snapped her phone shut, getting up and pulling a shirt out of her closet. Oh, she would love to see Blair Waldorf's face, waiting there for Chuck to come and take her away, and then him not showing…it was just too brilliant.

So Chuck had come to his senses, finally, and remembered who he really was.

It was about time.

--

Blair stood there on the helipad, pulling her heavy black and white printed coat tighter around her. It was freezing, and starting to rain. She didn't have an umbrella. And it was noon. And Chuck wasn't here.

She absolutely refused to freak out. Maybe he was just running late. Maybe he was stuck in traffic. She wasn't going to call or text him. Not yet, anyway.

He said he was going to be here. And he would be.

This time was going to be different.

--

"If we are not there in two minutes, you will not have a job tomorrow or work in this town again!" Chuck practically growled at his driver trying to maneuver his way through traffic exacerbated by bad weather.

It was right at noon, and of course, traffic was a nightmare. He dug into his coat pocket to call Blair, but just as he did, he received an incoming call.

The name Dan Humphrey flashed onto the screen. What the hell? Did Dan even have his number?

Too intrigued to ignore it, Chuck accepted the call.

"What is it, Humphrey?"

"C-Chuck?" Dan sounded bewildered.

"Were you expecting someone else?" Chuck asked impatiently.

"Well, yeah. I just called Serena's phone."

"What?"

"I just dialed Serena's number. You must have her phone by mistake."

"That's imposs--" Chuck shook his head, holding the phone away from his ear and inspecting it.

He, Serena, and Eric had all gotten the same phones from Bart and Lily ("It's called a family plan!" Lily had exclaimed, thrilled with this novel concept), and Eric and Serena had even made jokes about how easy they would be to mix up. But this was definitely Serena's phone- she had dropped hers once on the tile floor of the kitchen and cracked the edge. There it was. The telltale crack that showed Serena had either unwittingly or brilliantly switched their phones.

"Chuck? Are you there?" Dan's tiny voice came out of the phone's speakers.

"Yes. Serena and I must have switched phones by mistake. Guess your confession of love to my sister will just have to wait until I get back on Sunday."

Chuck was surprised to hear Dan laugh on the other end. "Guess so. Have a good trip, man."

Before Chuck could ask how Dan even knew he was going anywhere, Dan had hung up the phone. He stared at the phone, still a little confused. Is this why Serena had been acting so sneaky this morning? This didn't make any sense.

"Mr. Bass, we've arrived." His limo driver said over his shoulder, snapping Chuck away from trying to unravel Serena's weirdly complex machinations.

Chuck looked through the tinted window to see Blair standing there alone, freezing cold in the rain. She turned around when his car approached, and her mouth curved into a tearful smile when Chuck stepped out of the car, perfect and resplendent in a suit, holding a bouquet of red roses for her, looking just like the old movie star she'd always wanted to sweep her off her feet.

But this wasn't a fantasy. Not this time. This was Chuck and Blair, finally getting it right, finally both ending up in the same place at the same time, finally on the same page.

They walked towards each other, Chuck opening an umbrella and holding it over her as they met in the middle.

"You're here." She said, somewhere between laughing and crying.

"I said I would be." He handed her the flowers.

"We're really doing this?" She asked, looking up at him.

She wasn't just talking about the trip, and they both knew it.

"I'm all in." He said.

"Me too. I love you, Chuck." She breathed, like it needed saying.

"I love you too, Blair." He said, kissing her, and she kissed him back, knocking the umbrella in his hand askew as she threw her arms around his neck.

They were completely soaked when they broke apart, smiling at each other, completely love drunk.

Blair kept her arms around him. "Hey, Chuck- can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Take me to Paris." She laughed, shivering.

He offered her his arm, holding the umbrella back over them as they walked towards the plane together.

--

Georgina finally arrived at Café Fresco, soaked to the skin from the sudden storm that had descended onto the city. She checked her phone. 12:02- if Chuck was here, he'd missed the trip with Blair. She couldn't get through the door fast enough, the warm air from the café flooding around her as she scanned the room for his face.

He wasn't here, at least not at first glance. She hit his name on her contacts list, waiting as it rang a few times. Suddenly, Georgina realized she heard his ring coming from behind her. She spun around to see Serena sitting at the corner table, answering Chuck's phone.

"Hello?" Serena said innocently, when she answered.

Georgina looked at her in shock. "You…you did this? You stole his phone and pretended to be Chuck?"

Serena crossed her arms, smiling widely. "Yup."

"Why?"

Serena pushed out the other chair at the table with her foot, and Georgina numbly sat down.

"Because I know you, Georgie. I knew you'd do something today to try and mess things up with Chuck and Blair. But get it through your head already. You're not going to destroy them like you did to me and Dan. They're leaving for Paris as we speak. You lost. I won."

"_You_ won?" Georgina still couldn't quite process this new side of Serena, so cold, so calculating, so…Blair in Blair's absence.

"That's right," Serena slid a folder across the table, "Made friends with the security guy at Bass Industries, too. He found me some nice pictures of you going through Bart's office. And you doing lines in the bathroom. I was so sorry to see you'd fallen off the wagon."

"What are you going to do with these?" Georgina said, looking at them just long enough to know that she was busted.

"I don't know…" Serena put a finger to her chin, considering, "Give them to Bart? The police? Your rehab sponsor who thinks you've come so far and let you out of the program early? The possibilities are endless."

"What do you want?" Georgina said through gritted teeth as Serena merely observed the busy coffee shop with a small smile.

"What I've wanted since you showed up. For you to go away. For good. I'll make your apologies to Bart and Chuck when you don't show up to work on Monday, don't worry."

"I go away and you destroy the pictures?"

"Oh, I think I'll hold onto them just in case you ever get the urge to come back." Serena said, stirring her coffee with a little spoon.

"Serena…please don't do this."

"I'm not going to do anything as long as you leave and never come back. I'm not you, Georgina. I don't just destroy people's lives for fun. But when someone messes with my friends…" She shrugged, as if she just couldn't help herself.

Georgina looked up at her, shaking her head, halfway between impressed and scared. "Fine. You win, Serena. I'll go."

"Great. Have a nice life." Serena gave her a little wave and smile.

Georgina watched her for a moment, an odd expression on her face. "People think you're so different. The nice one. If they only knew…" Georgina said, putting her purse back over her shoulder.

"I am nice. I'm also not kidding about these pictures. But go ahead- see if I am." Serena raised an eyebrow.

Georgina nodded, picking up her purse. "Good-bye, Serena."

"Bye, G."

Serena watched Georgina walk away, taking out Chuck's phone and sending a text message to her own phone.

_Hey Chuck- I think I got our phones mixed up. Whoops! Have a great weekend- tell B I say hi. I'll just call forward to your phone, and you can do the same to me. _

Chuck responded after a moment.

_Thanks- Blair says hi back. We'll see you Monday. Oh, and Humphrey called you. _

Serena sighed. Oh, Dan. Here we go again.

**Spotted: G and S having an old-fashioned stand off at Café Fresco. All we needed was a tumbleweed blowing across the road to make the scene complete. But I think we all know Serena's holding a gun fully cocked and loaded, and G lost hers somewhere along the way. Sorry G. But when Serena speaks, the UES listens. And her current decree is for you to get the eff out.**

**A far more heart-warming sighting- C and B actually making the plane bound for Paris after locking lips in the rain. Well, well. Dare I call this a happy ending? Who knows what's to come for these two, but for the time being- le sigh! You're a lucky girl, B. **

**I'm off to find my own billionaire…you know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl. **

A/N- Thanks for reading guys! Let me know if you'd rather have an epilogue with C and B in Paris or one where they go to Victrola party when they get back. I'll write whichever one you want! Reviews are wonderful!


	13. A Queen for His Majesty

A/N- Hello my dear readers! I tallied the votes and ta da! Paris epilogue- this story started in a hotel room, and I figured it should end there too! Woo! Hope you all enjoy- thanks so much for reading all the way to the end! I really appreciate all of your reviews and feedback. If you want more Blair/Chuck fanfic from me, I just started a new B/C future fic called "Because She's Cordelia Bass." I'd love if you checked it out! Thanks for everything- please do enjoy!

**The Lost Weekend**

**--**

**Epilogue**

"So are you having a good birthday?" Chuck said with a small smile, practically having to drag Blair out of the car and towards the Hotel de Crillon.

"Are you kidding? This place is gorgeous!" She smiled, walking a little unsteadily into the entrance as she held onto Chuck's arm.

They had just finished seeing the original Moulin Rouge cabaret show in the Montmartre district of Paris, and then the manager had wanted to meet Chuck and talk about Bass Industries' expansion into vintage entertainment, and then the dancers wanted to meet them, and then they all went out for drinks, and—needless to say, it was now three in the morning and Blair Waldorf was very, very drunk.

"This hotel was originally a palace built in 1758." Chuck told her, trying not to laugh at Blair's attempt to look very sober as they walked through the lobby.

Blair nodded, hitting the button for the elevator "Wow," The elevator door opened, "Well then, after you, your majesty." She giggled, bowing and motioning for him to enter.

"Oh, I like that." Chuck grinned, pulling her in front of him and making her get into the elevator.

She turned around and put her arms around his neck, backing him into the mirrored wall as the doors closed, "You know what _I _like?"

"Copious amounts of alcohol?"

"The way you were speaking French all night—that was so hot." She said, kissing him.

Chuck broke away from her as the moment grew more heated. "Blair. This is a classy place. We can't just go at it in an elevator."

She dropped her arms, blushing. "S-Sorry."

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Babe, I'm kidding. Do you not know me at all? Elevators made out of mirrors are practically designed for sex."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"Come on…" He leaned closer to her.

She stopped him. "Oh, no. I don't want to embarrass you in your 'classy place.'"

Chuck smiled, speaking into her ear. "So you're telling me that hanging out with half-naked dancers all night didn't get you at all turned on?"

Blair smiled, nodding slowly. "Nope."

"Me neither." He said, his hand moving up her leg.

Just as they were about to kiss, the door dinged and opened onto their floor. Blair looked over at the open door, annoyed.

"Don't look so sad—we've got the best suite in the place." Chuck said, pulling a room key out of his pocket.

"It's you and me. I don't care if we just stay right here the whole night." She smiled.

"Come on." He grabbed her hand, leading her out into the hallway.

"My feet hurt." She whined, following behind him.

"Then take off your dress." Chuck grinned, reaching their room and sliding the key into the slot.

Blair stumbled into the room behind him, looking around at the panoramic view of Paris with a suitably impressed expression. "You were right. Fit for royalty."

"Do you feel suitably celebrated?"

"Not yet." Blair tried to seductively walk towards him but tripped over their luggage.

Chuck caught her, laughing. "Are you okay?"

"I'm totally fine!" She rolled her eyes unconvincingly, "I just think those absinthe shots made me a little bit tipsy."

"Do you need to lie down?"

"Yes, please." She smiled, unzipping the side of her dress and letting it drop to the floor around her ankles.

Chuck looked her up and down, letting out a deep breath.

"You are one kinky girl, Waldorf."

"Thank you. Good luck getting me out of this." Blair smiled, indicating the many straps and ties of the black S&M inspired get-up.

"I'll manage."

"I know." Blair replied, "My feet really do hurt."

"Fine." Chuck picked her up, carrying her over to the huge bed in the middle of the room. He gently lay her down, undoing the laces of her corset and slipping her Christian Louboutin heels off her feet. "Better?"

"The best." She smiled, kissing him.

--

Blair looked up at the ceiling, sighing contently. She felt like she was in some awesome old black and white movie. She had just made love to her tortured reformed playboy in a literal palace in Paris after seeing the best cabaret show in the world. Usually Blair liked to create really elaborate fantasies in which she was the main player, but right now, there was really no need. She would totally watch the movie of her actual life right now.

Blair didn't smoke, but all of a sudden she really wanted a cigarette. If this really was an old movie, Chuck would put two cigarettes between his lips, light them both and pass her one while they traded witty banter heavily laden with double entendres while never outright acknowledging the mind-blowing sex of moments before.

She looked over at Chuck. He was staring at the ceiling too, but didn't look quite as blissed out as Blair. What was he thinking about? She still had no idea how she was in bed, even after all the times they had been together. Chuck never commented at all on how she was, and it kind of drove her crazy. He always seemd to…enjoy himself, but she never knew for sure.

"Chuck?"

He didn't respond for a moment, but finally looked over at her. "What is it?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Why are you with me?" He asked, his voice sounding a little strained.

Blair blinked, surprised. "What?"

"Why are you with me?" He repeated more slowly.

She smiled teasingly, "Because you're Chuck Bass."

He didn't smile back. "Blair, I'm serious. Every single person who hears that we're together thinks you're too good for me. There has to be a reason for that."

Blair sighed. "Chuck--"

"I just—being with you is…incredible," Chuck interrupted, and Blair tried not to look a little proud. Finally! "But every time it's over, I think it's going to be the time that you realize what a mistake this is and go back to the life you should have."

"_This_ is the life I want," She said, privately thinking she was a little too drunk for this serious of a conversation, but he looked so upset that she had to at least try, "I am so incredibly lucky to be with you."

He made a self-effacing noise, as if he didn't believe her.

"I'm serious," She turned his face to her, "You changed everything for me. Before that night at Victrola, I knew exactly how my life was going to play out. I was going to be with Nate forever, even though I wasn't really in love with him and he hadn't been in love with me for a long time. I was eventually going to turn into the sad little UES Stepford wife. And I would have been absolutely miserable. You woke me up. I was with Nate because I thought I was supposed to be. I'm with you because I want to be. I want to be with you more than anything in this world, and people who can't understand that don't matter and don't know you. I know everything about you, and I love you."

"Blair…" Chuck said, genuinely touched.

"And you know what? I feel sorry for people who don't know you. Their lives must be so dull." Blair grinned, kissing him.

He kissed her back, and seemed to believe her for once. She laid her head on his chest, and they looked out at the beautiful Paris night, the lights of the city still blazing.

"Good night, Blair." He said softly.

"Night, Chuck."

--

**The End**

--

A/N- Reviews are fabulous! Thanks for reading!


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